An interesting data visualization got my attention recently and I noticed it also got some nice traction on twitter via mentions and re-tweets… enter the Wal-Mart data visualization and growth video. This map shows the viral-like spread of Wal-Mart store locations over time, starting in the early 1960’s in Kansas and up to [almost] present day.
I did uncover some interesting tidbits on the history of this project, starting with an excellent blog post that provided a video describing the efforts to build the map using Freebase and authoring the animation using Modest Maps – See more about the map in this article and you can also download the raw wal-mart location data HERE
Direct link to GZ file here
GISuser