Exercise: CityMaps "Novel" Map Symbology

The screen shot below is from a website/app called CityMaps. This is part of New York City.

There is more to the website/app than the map - it also collects and shares social media (tweets, etc.) and deals associated with the businesses. Have a look at the CityMaps website, or just this bit above and ponder:

1. Is this map compelling? Why?
2. When would you use this type of map vs. say Google Maps?
3. What do you think the goal of this type of mapping is?
4. What might you change (in the types of data, symbology, etc.) to meet that goal better?
5. Is this map fair to "mom and pop" businesses?
6. What data layer(s) are "left out" of the map to make the map more effective?

I found this article in Co.DESIGN helpful in thinking about this map. For now the website and app are live for NYC, San Francisco and Austin.