Beta
Local Lantern
Helping people discover local businesses while giving owners and communities a calmer operating layer.
The story
Local Lantern connects neighborhood discovery on the web and Android with business profiles, moderation, and operator tools, built for communities rather than generic marketplaces.
The problem. Local business discovery is noisy, chain-heavy, and hard for small operators to manage. Communities need a calmer directory with trust and support built in.
The solution. A shared API powering a web directory and Android app, with business claim flows, advertiser drafts, and admin review queues in one contract.
Screenshots
How it’s built
Key features
- Category and neighborhood search
- Business detail views with featured highlights
- Owner profiles and support requests
- Advertiser campaign drafts
- Admin moderation and trust review
Technology
- Kotlin Android client
- Node.js API with MongoDB
- Firebase authentication for operators
- Shared listings contract across web and mobile
Behind the build
Challenges solved
- Keeping chain filtering fair without excluding legitimate local multi-location brands
- One API contract for web directory and mobile surfaces
- Designing moderation that scales before external AI review
Future roadmap
- Production domain and regional rollout
- Richer owner dashboard on mobile
- Partner and sponsor placements