Secret World launches Hustle Map as New York expands vendor licenses

Secret World has launched Hustle Map, a live mapping feature meant to help people find temporary and mobile independent sellers as New York City expands street-vending licenses. The rollout targets a fast-changing retail landscape where more vendors may soon be operating legally but still need a way to be discovered in real time.

Why it matters: - New York City is expanding vendor licensing, which could bring more mobile and temporary sellers into the formal economy. - Secret World is trying to solve a separate problem: discoverability for sellers who do not operate from permanent storefronts or fixed schedules. - The feature could change how shoppers find street commerce in dense retail areas such as Canal Street, where fixed shops and pop-up sellers coexist.

What happened: - Secret World launched Hustle Map, a live mapping feature inside the Secret World app. - The feature is designed to make temporary and mobile independent sellers easier to discover while they are operating. - The launch comes as New York City begins a multi-year expansion of its street-vending system. - Beginning July 1, 2026, New York City will make 2,200 new mobile food vending supervisory licenses available each year for five years. - The city’s plan would ultimately add 11,000 mobile food vending permits. - Local Law 54 of 2026 will make an additional 10,500 General Vendor licenses available beginning January 15, 2027. - More than 5,800 food vendors already hold permits to operate in New York City, according to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

The details: - Hustle Map lets temporary sellers appear on a location-based map only while they are active. - Sellers can create a Popup listing tied to a specific location and period of availability. - Nearby users can see what is happening around them in real time. - The feature is built differently from traditional business directories that center on permanent addresses. - Secret World says Hustle Map is meant for commerce that may last only a few hours, move to another block, or operate on certain days. - The map is not limited to food vendors. - Secret World says eligible independent sellers could use it for clothing, handmade goods, baked items, art, vintage merchandise and other locally sold products, subject to applicable laws and licensing requirements. - Kai Zhang, founder of Secret World, said the city is creating more pathways for people to legally operate, but being allowed to sell and being discoverable are different things. - Zhang said Hustle Map is about giving temporary commerce a place on the map while it is actually happening.

Between the lines: - The launch points to a gap between regulatory access and market visibility. - New York can expand licenses, but mobile vendors still need digital tools that match the way street commerce actually works. - Canal Street is an early proof point because the area already blends permanent stores with changing layers of street selling. - Secret World appears to be positioning Hustle Map as a discovery layer for a more formalized but still highly fluid vendor ecosystem.

What's next: - The city’s licensing rollout continues in phases through at least 2027. - More vendors may enter the formal system as new licenses become available. - Secret World is likely betting that more licensed sellers will need location-based discovery tools to reach customers. - The company expects Hustle Map to expand beyond food into other categories of local independent commerce as rules allow.

The bottom line: - Secret World is launching Hustle Map just as New York City creates more legal space for street vending, aiming to make temporary sellers easier to find in real time.