Hub for inclusion for the special needs community is not "culturally hotspot significant"
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cyndiepooh-ING
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I get that the community is rejecting any business now that "generic business" is back. But I thought that Niantic reviewers would get the importance of a hub for inclusion for the special needs community. But I guess that community is not important to Niantic.
Here is their reply:
Thanks for the appeal, Explorer! We are unable to verify as per the nomination context how this business is a culturally hotspot significant to your community. We suggest that you add more information explaining why this business is important for the local community in a new nomination. This can greatly increase the odds of this nomination getting approved. We recommend you review the content guidelines before submitting your next Wayspot contribution: https://niantic.helpshift.com/hc/en/21-wayfarer/faq/2775-content-guidelines/
Here is my appeal statement:
Appeal Statement: I cannot understand how this was rejected as a "Generic Business." It is anything but that. I am not sure what else to say that I didn't already include in the supporting information, so please review the links previously provided. Just seeing simple facts, like that they provide restrooms with facilities for changing adult diapers, both broke my heart and made me realize how important this business is to that community. Making the special needs community feel included, needed, and valuable is much more than a generic business. Every ice cream shop is a great place to be social while lingering over a treat that must be eaten slowly. This one is also a great place of exploration. It is an important destination for both the special needs community, and for those wishing to help the special needs community. As I said in the original nomination, this forms a hub for that community with Gigi's Playhouse and Esteemed Coffee. This prime location by Cary's new Downtown Cary Park is significant to show inclusion in the extensive downtown redevelopment project. Here is a link to a news story about the opening: https://www.wral.com/story/howdy-homemade-ice-cream-opens-in-downtown-cary-employing-people-with-special-needs/20729537/ Howdy's employees are "heroes." And so is Phillip Lin for opening the first ever non-profit Howdy's Homemade Ice Cream. Thank you for reconsidering this nomination.
Here is the original rejection:
I am furious. I don't care about one more pokestop or portal downtown, but saying this community isn't significant is beyond my comprehension.
Comments
Hub for inclusion for the special needs community is not "culturally hotspot significant"
For me there is easily info that you provided to make this something that stands out above other 'generic businesses'
One simple search was all it took, literally 30 second of typing and reading to see how it deserves to be added.
Amazing Ice Cream Amazing People|Katy Texas|Howdy Handmade Ice Cream
https://www.howdyhomemadekaty.com/about-us@NianticTintino-ING you asked us to continue to let you know when you got the appeals wrong in the last AMA. I think this one should be looked at.
Hub for inclusion for the special needs community is not "culturally hotspot significant"
The reason this was rejected is because, this is primarily a Franchise business which makes it a chain store. Having said that, given the context, we will discuss this internally to make an exception.
Thank you for looking at this again!
When I posted this rejection in my local discord, a member responded with "I work there!" If you need any more evidence of how important this place is to the community, I will try to get him in touch with y'all.
That would not be needed. The only aspect to consider here is if we make an exception for a chain store.
I would urge y'all to consider that not all Chain/Franchise businesses are ineligible. Bowling alleys, movie theaters, shopping malls - these are all examples of places that operate as chain businesses or franchises but are eligible based on the value they bring to the community. Amusement parks have tons of POI but those are technically chains: Six Flags, Disney, Universal, etc. They are all owned by a large corporation.
Thank you for reconsidering!
I want to reiterate that this was an exception and this should not be treated as change in policy on chain stores.
Aaron makes a **** statement that contradicts prior guidance, news at 11.
Thank you for making the chain store rule clear! We should not be accepting every Starbucks or Costco, but we should consider the evidence presented before selecting "Generic Business" and rejecting.
Agreed - being a chain is not a bar if there's evidence it's important to the community - the guidance clearly states "For reviewers, keep in mind that even a generic business in a small town can be an important part of the local community." I thought you'd made it quite clear.
In confused - past guidance is very explicit that chain stores can be eligible.
You're saying the exception was the original deviation of the appeals reviewer to reject a chain store for that (inappropriate) reason?
Niantic likes it's gray areas. They fear that any individual acceptance may be regarded as a green-light to millions of contributions with claims that they are under the same umbrella.
They had previously made a knee-**** rejection because a single Niantic reviewer had concluded that the fact of being a chain-retail outlet obviated any need for special consideration. Casey had long since stated that this was not supposed to be their iron-clad position.
Niantic made an error of judgement in that particular special case. We are still meant to nominate and vote under the 'Casey decision' where a particular outlet may be argued to be significant to the community, but nobody should be surprised if their own local Starbucks is rejected after they fail to provide the sort of evidence that applied here.
Chain stores are not a rejection reason, or at least, they shouldn't be, same with generic business. Yes, some should be rejected, like McDonald's. But some should be looked at under their own merit, for example if a chain gym opens up in a small town or suburb and is the only gym in that area, that would meet several criteria and should override chain/generic business
I see nothing wrong with a chain gym in a big city. A great place to exercise doesn't need to be a boutique gym. Chain gyms can offer something for everyone.
Howdy Homenade Ice Cream has SIX locations, across 5 states (the one state with 2, is as big as Texas).
I would have never thought of SIX locations, spread across 1200 miles (2000 km) as a "chain store", as @NianticTintino-ING and @NianticAaron insist.
If this is a chain store, then McDonald's (41,822 locations), Starbucks (38,038), and even Costco (861) are EXTREME examples of chains, nowhere close to average.
I would agree and usually accept gyms even in the middle of a city, but I was using a very obvious example that I Dont think anyone could argue against lol (and yet my award winning pilates studio getting rejected suggests otherwise lmao)