Abstract :
[en] Purpose:
Mosques influence the surrounding neighborhoods' demographic patterns and motivate investors to establish new businesses and commercial activities. This study explores the impact of the mosque on the emergence of new businesses. Furthermore, we examine the demography of neighborhoods in which mosques are located.
Design/methodology/approach:
This study opts for an exploratory study using a retrospective analysis approach to explore the mosque's impact on the social and functional aspects of neighborhoods. The emerging shops around mosques in the city of Liège (Belgium) are analyzed using a logistic regression model. The criterion for the location of Islamic shops was cross-referenced with other variables, such as distance from the center, proximity to supermarkets and shopping malls, distance from the mosque, socio-economic variables (immigration, income nationalities, etc.), and bus accessibility data. Several zones around mosques, ranging from 100 to 1000 meters, are established to examine the correlation between types of businesses and distance to the mosque. Five types of businesses are identified: regular trade, light semi-regular trade, heavy semi-regular trade, Horeca, and services. Islamic shops are identified based on on-site observations and interviews and classified by type.
Findings:
The results show that mosques significantly impact the establishment of new businesses in the surrounding urban space (especially Islamic shops). In terms of the types of Islamic businesses surrounding the mosques, we found a strong presence of "Horeca" (cafes, restaurants, and snack bars), and "Light semi-regular trade" (mainly personal care).
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