The Geographical Impacts of Minimarket Establishments on Small-Scale Traders in Tual City, Maluku

Abstract

The development of minimarkets as part of the expansion of modern retail has brought changes to the spatial structure of commercial activities and patterns of economic interaction within urban communities. This condition is important to examine in Tual City, Maluku, which is characterized by an archipelagic geographical setting and a concentration of commercial activities in the urban areas of Dullah Island. This study aims to analyze the geographical impacts of minimarket establishments on small-scale traders in Tual City, focusing on location distribution, accessibility, spatial proximity, and potential changes in the economic activities of small-scale traders. The study employs a quantitative descriptive approach using spatial analysis based on Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The research data consist of modern retail location data, micro and small business data, road network data, and socio-economic data obtained from publications of Statistics Indonesia (BPS) and Tual City Government documents. Preliminary identification indicates that modern retail development is concentrated in the areas of South Dullah Island and North Dullah Island. This condition corresponds with the concentration of micro and small enterprises, approximately 75% of which are located in these two areas. The presence of minimarkets in areas with high accessibility has the potential to create overlapping service areas with small-scale traders. These impacts are primarily associated with competition for consumers, changes in shopping patterns, and potential changes in the revenue of traders located near minimarkets. However, the magnitude of these impacts is not solely determined by distance but is also influenced by product characteristics, pricing, service quality, social relationships with customers, and traders' ability to adapt.