Author: Adam DuVander

Store locators have been a staple of the Internet almost since its inception, but they’re still difficult to build yourself. Set that programming lesson aside and see a quick way to create a locator for multiple locations of a store front, business, office (or anything for that matter) for your website. At BatchGeo, we’ve updated our store locator creator to provide an even easier way for your visitors to find the locations they seek.

If you try to create something like this map yourself, you’ll spend a lot of time reading tutorials and learning to write code for the Google Maps API. Instead, we let you copy and paste a list of addresses and we do the rest.

Enable Store Locator Mode on Your Map

Use our store locator tool to create a map with all the features you’d want in a Google Map. The tool will quickly geocode every address, turning each into coordinates to plot on a map. Then we create marker icons for every location. You can include the name for every store and any other data (such as the telephone number, hours, and more) in your spreadsheet. When you click a location, you can see the additional information about each place.

You can tune your map with various options, but here is the fastest way to create a store location map:

1. Copy and paste your addresses into the map data tool
2. Click “Map Now” to begin geocoding
3. Click “Save & Continue”
4. Select the “Store Locator” option and click “Save Map”

Now you’ll have a map that shows all your store locations visually, as well as in a browsable list to the left of the map. Your visitors can click on a map marker icon or any name in the list to open a box with additional data. Or, they can use the search at the top to find their nearest location.

Embed Your Store Locator on Your Website

Your store locator map takes minutes to create versus hours or weeks if you wrote the code yourself. You can send visitors to its unique web URL to quickly find nearby locations. Even better, make the map part of your website by embedding it like we did at the top of this page.

Again, it’s as easy as copy and paste. You’ll just need to locate the Embed Code while editing your map:

1. Find the email we sent with your link to edit your map
2. Click on the embed code field and copy the contents
3. Paste the embed code into your website HTML or content management system

The embed code will look something like this:

<p><iframe src="https://batchgeo.com/map/tesla-dealers" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="550" style="border:1px solid #aaa;"></iframe></p><p><small>View <a href="https://batchgeo.com/map/tesla-dealers">Tesla Dealerships and Galleries</a> in a full screen map</small></p>

When this code is embedded in your website, you will have a fully functional, interactive store locator map.

Use a Store Locator in Data View Mode

While the store locator allows users to browse locations by name, as well as on the map, you may prefer to only provide a visual representation. To remove the list from the left side of your store locator, you can switch the map to Data View mode. Even better, your map will remain functional as a store locator. Your visitors can click the marker icons and search for locations.

Use these steps to create a store location map without the list:

1. Copy and paste your addresses into the map data tool
2. Click “Map Now” to begin geocoding
3. Click “Save & Continue”
4. Select the “Data View” option and click “Save Map”

If you’ve previously created your map in Store Locator mode, you can simply switch its mode. Edit your map (look in your email for the special link) and toggle between Store Locator mode and Data View mode.

Add a Search Box Outside Your Map

While every store locator map made with BatchGeo comes with its own search functionality, you may prefer to include a search box elsewhere on your site. Similar to embedding your map, we provide the HTML needed to create a search form that will open directly in your map.

You’ll just need to locate the Locator Code while editing your map:

1. Find the email we sent with your link to edit your map
2. Click on the locator code field and copy the contents
3. Paste the embed code into your website HTML or content management system

The form code will look something like this:

&lt;form action=&quot;https://batchgeo.com/map/"><input type=&quot;hidden&quot; name=&quot;i&quot; value=&quot;tesla-dealers&quot;&gt;&lt;label&gt;Search for nearest location &lt;input type=&quot;text&quot; name=&quot;q&quot; value=&quot;&quot;&gt;&lt;/label&gt;&lt;input type=&quot;submit&quot; value=&quot;Search&quot;&gt;&lt;/form&gt;

When your visitor submits this form, it will open in your store locator with the search pre-populated.

Create a Map of Your Retailers, Sellers, and Other Locations

Store locators are a great way to share all kinds of locations. Even if you don’t operate a chain of stores yourself, you may have retailers who carry your merchandise. You can create a map of retailers and sellers and enable Store Locator mode to make it easily searchable.

BatchGeo will map any list of locations. Create a map today!

Pumpkins may be popular in October, but you probably have yet to see a 2,000-pound pumpkin. We certainly hadn’t until we mapped the 170 largest pumpkins ever grown. Visualize where in the world these massive pumpkins sprouted their first roots, where the growers who produced five or more of the largest pumpkins ever are from, and where top pumpkins with the same weight were produced.

View Largest Pumpkins in a full screen map

Finding the perfect data isn’t always easy. Unlike our maps of the presidential nominating convention locations and the national animals of every country, we weren’t satisfied with the single datasets available of the largest pumpkins of all time & where they were grown. Instead of settling for mediocre data, we combined two data sets. The first is from GiantPumpkin.com and the second from the Backyard Gardener. So if you find yourself dying to make a map but can’t find the perfect data, combine two datasets in one spreadsheet. Just make sure to put common data in the same column and remove any data that isn’t shared between the two datasets.

Oh My Gourd: The Top Ten Largest Pumpkins Ever Grown

The top ten largest pumpkins ever grown all weigh well over 2,200 pounds. That’s nearly two times the size of an adult grizzly bear! Who grew these gargantuan gourds, where, and what is the exact weight? Find out below.

1. 2,624.6 pounds grown by Mathias Willemijns of Belgium
2. 2,528 pounds grown by Steve Geddes of New Hampshire
3. 2,469 pounds grown by Steve Daletas of Oregon
4. 2,433.9 pounds grown by Ian and Stuart Paton of England
5. 2,416.5 pounds grown by Karl Haist of New York
6. 2.363 pounds grown by Joel Holland of Washington
7. 2.323.7 pounds grown by Beni Meier of Switzerland
8. 2,283 pounds grown by John Barlow/Jacobus of Wisconsin
9. 2,269.4 pounds grown by Ian and Stuart Paton of England
10. 2,261 pounds grown by Dick Wallace of Rhode Island

The largest pumpkin ever grown was done so by Mathias Willemijns of Deurle, Belgium. Willemijns’s #1 pumpkin is 96.6 pounds more than the runner-up. You’ll find this pumpkin connoisseur more than once on the map. He grew five out of the six largest Belgian pumpkins on the list and all rank within the top 50. Plus, Willemijns is just 24. His #1 ranking pumpkin claimed its title in 2016 and hasn’t been beat yet. Though not from lack of trying.

In 2018, two growers attempted to overthrow Willemijns’s #1 pumpkin (unsuccessfully) with their own massive fruits. Or are they considered vegetables? The current second and third place pumpkins of all time were both grown by Americans named Steve. Steve Geddes of Boscawen, New Hampshire grew a 2,528-pound pumpkin (#2) and Steve Daletas of Pleasant Hill, Oregon’s third-place 2,469-pound pumpkin made headlines that very same year.

The top ten largest pumpkins also have representation from Lymington, England, Clarence Center New York, Sumner, Washington, Pfugen, Switzerland, Gays Mills, Wisconsin, and Greene, Rhode Island.

Grow Big or Go Home: Growers With Many of the Largest Pumpkins

We mentioned Mathias Willemijns of Belgium has multiple pumpkins on the list of the 170 largest pumpkins of all time. However, he’s not the only grower with many of the largest pumpkins, nor does he even have the most. The following growers carved names for themselves among the top pumpkin growers in the world. Previously discussed Steve Daletas of Pleasant Hill, Oregon, Karl Haist of Clarence Center, New York, and brothers Ian and Stuart Paton of Lymington, England have each grown eight super-sized pumpkins.

As we’ve mentioned, one of Daletas’s pumpkins is currently the third-largest ever grown. This bad boy was 2,469 pounds. His other seven pumpkins range between his smallest of 1,969 pounds (ranked #80) and his second-largest of 2,170 pounds (#15). Like Daletas, Karl Haist’s eight pumpkins are all ranked in the top 100. His most notable gourd is #5, weighing in at a whopping 2,416.5 pounds. His next seven pumpkins tip the scales anywhere between 1,962 pounds and 2,027 pounds.

Brothers Ian and Stuart Paton, who have been growing pumpkins since they were 11 and run a flower nursery together, have eight pumpkins on the list. Their largest is #4 in the world at 2.433.9 pounds. They also hold the #9 spot. Though aside from two top ten pumpkins, their rankings vary greater than those of Daletas and Haist. The Paton brothers’ smallest pumpkin barely makes the top 100 at #99. Pumpkins grown by these brothers range between 1,945.6 pounds and 2,269.4 pounds. They’ve said their goal is to hold the world record one day, and they’re not too far off. The brothers noted that the first pumpkin they grew was just 54 pounds. They now watch their massive gourds grow by at least 60 pounds. each day. Watch out Willemijns, these brothers are coming for your spot!

Also worth mentioning are Dick Wallace and Josiah Brandt. These two growers are moving up in the ranks one pumpkin at a time. They each currently have five on the list, the same quantity as Willemijns.

Size Matters: 13 Pumpkins That Tied

Size matters in the pumpkin industry. One-tenth of a pound could make the difference between growing the #43 largest pumpkin in the world or being tied for the #43 largest pumpkin in the world. This is exactly the case for two familiar growers from the top ten: Ian and Stuart Paton and Mathias Willemijns. In 2016, Willemijns grew a 2,048.1 pound pumpkin. In 2017, Ian and Stuart Paton grew a pumpkin of the exact same size, right down to the .1th pound. Also tied are Bavaria’s Mario Weishaeupl and Pennsylvania’s Quinn Werner. Both of their pumpkins, Werner’s grown in 2015 and Weishaeupl’s from 2018 were 2020.5 pounds, making them tie for 51st place.

Two more familiar growers, Karl Haist and Steve Daletas are tied for the 62nd largest pumpkin ever grown. Both pumpkins weigh 2003 pounds. Two pumpkins are also tied for #63 at 2002 pounds. These belong to California’s John Hawkley and Washington’s Cindy Tobeck. Tied for #77 are two 1971.5-pound pumpkins grown by Wisconsin’s John Barlow and New York’s Andy Wolf. Last but not least is #80’s three-way tie, once again between Karl Haist, Steve Daletas, and… Karl Haist? Yes, Haist tied himself, along with Daletas (who he’s also tied with for #62). In regards to the #80 spot, Haist grew a 1969-pound pumpkin in 2014. Then, in 2015, Daletas also grew a 1969-pound pumpkin. A year later, in 2016, Haist grew another 1969-pound pumpkin. Way to give ‘em pumpkin to talk about, Haist!

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You’ve just seen how easy it is to visualize data like the largest pumpkins when displayed in map-form. Learn more about the different ways of visualizing your data with our post on Excel data visualization. It contains examples of how to create basic data visualizations like bar and column charts, line graphs, and pie charts, as well as advanced excel data visualizations such as combined charts and graphs, stacked charts, and even more maps.

There are many prosperous places across the United States. The most successful of these are called boomtowns, a.k.a. the fastest-growing cities in America. What factors determine whether a city reaches “boomtown” status? It all boils down to rapid population growth and increases in housing occupancy. The U.S.’s biggest boomtown has seen a five-year population increase more than 20 times the national average. We’ll give you a hint: the biggest boomtown is located in the state of Washington and it’s within driving distance of a major Washington city. Nearly 30% of all boomtowns in the U.S. are just miles away from a major city. However, not all boomtowns are created equal. While each state’s fastest-growing city is noted, several are seeing only minor population and housing occupancy increases. Some boomtowns are even facing negative population and housing growth. Find out more about the biggest boomtowns of every U.S. state on the map below.

View Biggest Boomtowns in a full screen map

The map contains data from GOBankingRates which they pulled from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2007, 2012, and 2017 surveys. There are four groupable options on the map: both five- and ten-year changes in population and changes in owner-occupied housing units over five and 10 years.

Biggest Short & Long-Term Population Boomtowns

Short-Term Population Growth

The biggest boomtown of all is Kirkland, Washington. The U.S.’s fastest-growing city has seen a five-year population increase of 76.8%. That’s more than 20 times the national average (3.84%) and more than 39% greater than the next greatest increasing boomtown of Four Corners, Florida. Four Corners is the second-fastest-growing city in the U.S. with a 37.8% population growth also over a five year period. One percentage point lower than Four Corners is Enterprise, Nevada’s five-year population change. The city is increasing by 37.7%.

Of course, everything is bigger in Texas, including boomtowns. The U.S.’s fourth-largest boomtown is Conroe, Texas, which has a five-year population increase of 34.30%. Conroe is the last of the shorter-term boomtowns to increase 30% or over. The rest of the boomtowns are all seeing population growth of 28% or lower.

Long-Term Population Growth

While Kirkland, Washington beat out every other boomtown in five-year population growth, other boomtowns rise to the top when it comes to ten-year population increases. Given 10 years, several cities are bearing witness to more than 100% population growth. These cities include Waldorf, Maryland (183.30% population growth) Enterprise, Nevada (138.20% growth), and San Luis, Arizona (104.20%). The national ten-year increase is just 7.45%, so these towns clearly are boomin’.

Kirkland, Washington is down to the fourth-fastest-growing city given 10 years’ time with an increase of 89.9% during a decade. Tied for fourth with Kirkland is Wentzville, Missouri which also has an 89.9% increase in population over 10 years. There are seven other notable boomtowns with ten-year population growths of well-over 50%. These include:

• Mount Juliet, Tennessee
• Newnan, Georgia
• Four Corners, Florida
• Conroe, Texas
• South Jordan, Utah
• West Fargo, North Dakota
• Meridian, Idaho

Boomtowns Next To Boomin’ Cities

When looking at the map, you may notice that many boomtowns are located next to the states’ largest cities. For example, Kirkland, Washington looks pretty close to Seattle, which is the state’s biggest city. Our digital measuring tape confirms this; Kirkland is just eight miles from Seattle. With this in mind, Kirkland’s status as the biggest boomtown makes a whole lot of sense. Those looking for big-city living at a smaller city price may set up residence in Kirkland but easily commute to Seattle for work and a better nightlight. This is a trend that many boomtowns seem to follow.

Our measuring tool points out that Hillsboro, Oregon’s biggest boomtown, is only ten or so miles away from Oregon’s largest city: Portland. The same can be said for the boomtown of Enterprise, Nevada, which is around 12 miles away from Las Vegas. Texas’s boomtown, Conroe, is roughly 40 miles outside of Houston while Oswego, Illinois is 40 miles away from Chicago. Kansas’s fastest-growing city of Overland Park is right next to Kansas City and Carmel, Indiana is close to Indianapolis. Then there’s Mount Juliet, which is Tennessee’s biggest boomtown. Mount Juliet is located right by Nashville.

If you still don’t believe this is a trend, we’ve got many more examples. The boomtown of Newnan, Georgia, is right outside of Atlanta. Four Corners, Florida is close to Orlando while Ann Arbour, Michigan is near Detroit. South Carolina’s Mount Pleasant boomtown is remarkably close to Charleston, as is Massachuttet’s Somerville to Boston. And Waldorf, Maryland is just outside of Washington D.C. Boom, an explosive trend! These cities better watch out. If the populations of these cities continue to grow at the current rate, Kirkland is going to become the new Seattle and Four Corners the new Orlando.

Least Booming Boomtowns

We’re not really sure why Lewiston, Maine is on the list. With a five-year population change of -1% and a ten-year change of -4.20% (yes, you read that right, growth in the negatives) Lewiston is not necessarily what we’ve come to expect of a boomtown. But every state needs a boomtown, and apparently, Lewiston is Maine’s booming-est, although it’s the least booming on our list.

Providence, Rhode Island may be better than Lewiston when it comes to population growth (its at least a positive percentage) but when it comes to Providence’s five and ten-year change in owner-occupied housing units, there are nothing but negative numbers. Burlington, Vermont’s owner-occupied housing growth is also on the decline. Though this boomtown is experiencing a 0.5% population increase over five years and a 10% growth over 10 years, the city faces a -7.90% housing decline over five years -5.90% over 10 years.

Dover, New Hampshire, and Newark, Delaware are the only other boomtowns with negative growth rates. While Dover’s housing is positively increasing over five years, going back further brings this boomtown into a deficit of -1%. Newark, on the other hand, has a better ten-year housing growth of 9.90%. However, their five-year housing growth of Neward is -2.60%.

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What qualifies one city as a boomtown could qualify another as an empty, desolate, sad little ghost town. Kirkland is currently the biggest boomtown, but Lewiston could turn it around in the next five years. We’ll check back in with you then.

All we know for sure is that boomtowns certainly vary in their boomy-ness, just as the cost of living in 388 cities worldwide varies. Before you up and move somewhere, note that the cost of living varies around with world. In fact, living in several Swiss cities can be 30% more expensive than living in N.Y.C., one of the most expensive in the U.S.