Home Town America
Fights Back
No matter what the logo on the building says
- Amazon, Wal-Mart, Dollar General Home Depot, Target, Lowe's -
if it's unwanted development, Sprawl-Busters can help you stop it.
Who We Are
About
Sprawl-Busters
Sprawl-Busters Consultants help local community coalitions on-site to design and implement successful campaigns against megastores and other undesirable large-scale developments.
In hundreds of communities, we have helped citizens groups strategize and carry out a plan to stop the superstores.
Keeping You Up To Date
Breaking News
YOU PICK THE HEADLINE. After multiple lawsuits for racial, sexual, gender, & age bias, Home Depot apparently believes it can use grants to wipe away all the racial discrimination cases they have settled with the EEOC and others. Reparations money. https://t.co/Kjv7OEU5ZE
Read MoreBRIT SUPREME COURT RULES 7-0 UBER DRIVERS ARE EMPLOYEES, NOT INDEP. CONTRACTORS, with benefits like paid holidays & min. wage. Upends the Uber exploitation of gig workers. "Drivers are in a position of subordination & dependency to Uber.” https://t.co/D6tGFEwalL
Read MoreI just told Congress: Expand and protect health care in the COVID relief bill!. Write one here:
Read MoreHarvard’s Belfer Center says “Mass. has been stumbling in its attempt to meet the challenge posed by COVID-19…Among the 50 states, Mass. is currently earning an F.” Mass. ranked 42 in vaccinations per capita, & 44 in vaccinations as a % of doses available. Failing grades. https://t.co/ZUyI9Rspmf
Read MoreDON’T EXPECT TO SEE A DOLLAR GENERAL ANYTIME SOON IN SOUTH DEERFIELD, MA. 8 abutters have filed an appeal of a ZBA special permit. Town’s Planning Board denied DG’s attempt to circumvent a size cap. Neighbors appealed to Land Court. Expect a year delay or more. https://t.co/glPC3VMIVV
Read MoreWALMART MADE $574 BILLION IN REVENUE THIS PAST YEAR—BUT STILL CAN’T AFFORD TO PAY A STARTING WAGE OF $15/HR. “Our people make the difference,” WMT says—but the company pockets the difference. https://t.co/gjFYygDdpo
Read MoreWALMART RELEASES Q4 EARNINGS. Sales “accelerating due to [govt.] stimulus spending.” “Continuing customer shift towards e-commerce.” Walmart may be the biggest beneficiary of Biden’s proposed next covid stimulus checks. Walmart’s Best News: 0 new store openings in Q4. https://t.co/nYwywvjCZD
Read MoreLEAKED DOCUMENTS FROM AMAZON INDIA: “AMZN has been giving preferential treatment to a small group of sellers [“Special Merchants”] on its India platform...misrepresented its ties with the sellers...to circumvent increasingly tough regulatory restrictions.” https://t.co/SQUsghP46i
Read MoreUBER HELD “ENGAGEMENT & LISTENING SESSIONS” WITH ITS DRIVERS to create “a new model for independent work” to “improve the quality of work...while preserving the flexibility...” But many drivers want to be made employees with full benefits. https://t.co/pICqBZZklA
Read MoreAbout Al Norman
Fighting Big Box Sprawl Since 1993
Al Norman achieved national attention in October of 1993 when he successfully stopped Wal-Mart from locating in his hometown of Greenfield, Massachusetts. Since then he has appeared on 60 Minutes, and gained widespread media attention from the Wall Street Journal to Fortune magazine. Al has traveled throughout the U.S. helping dozens of local coalitions. 60 Minutes called Al “the guru of the anti-Wal-Mart movement.”
Beating Big Box Stores
Community Victories
Sprawl-Busters compiled the list below of 456 communities, over the period 1995 to 2018, which have beaten a big box store at least once, or pressured a developer to withdraw. In some cases a big box store came back a second time, moved to another location in the town, or otherwise gotten in. But every city or town on this list defeated a store at least once. There are many big box victories we never hear about. To read more, click on any town. Not all towns have a linked story.
- Accokeek, MD
- Accomac, VA
- Albany, GA
- Albuquerque, NM
- Amherst, NY
- Anchorage, AK
- Antioch, CA
- Antioch, IL
- Arlington, TX
- Asheville, NC
- Ashland, VA
- Athens, GA
- Atlanta, GA
- Auburn, CA
- Aurora, NY
- Avondale Estates, GA
- Ballston, NY
- Bangor, ME
- Barnstable, MA
- Barranquitas, PR
- Batavia, IL
- Bath, NY
- Baton Rouge, LA
- Beavercreek, OH
- Beaverton, OR
- Bedford, MI
- Bedford, NH
- Bel Air, MD
- Belfast, ME
- Bellevue, ID
- Bellevue, WI
- Belmont, NC
- Bentonville, AR
- Bethlehem, PA
- Billerica, MA
- Biloxi, MS
- Bloomington, MN
- Blue Springs, MO
- Bonita Springs, FL
- Boston, MA
- Boxborough, MA
- Braintree, MA
- Brampton, Ontario
- Brick, NJ
- Broadview Hts, OH
- Brookfield, WI
- Brooksville, FL
- Buffalo, MN
- Buffalo, NY
- Burlington, Ontario
- Burnsville, MN
- Canton, CT
- Canton, IL
- Canton, MI
- Carlsbad, CA
- Carroll, PA
- Carver, MN
- Cazenovia, NY
- Cecil, PA
- Central Point, OR
- Ceres, CA
- Chalmette, LA
- Chandler, AZ
- Chanhassen, MN
- Charlevoix, MI
- Charlottesville, VA
- Chelan, WA
- Cherokee, NC
- Chestertown, MD
- Chicago, IL
- Chico, CA
- Claremont, NH
- Clearbrook, VA
- Clemson, SC
- Clermont, FL
- Cleveland, OH
- Clovis, CA
- Cobb County, GA
- Colchester, CT
- Colonie, NY
- Columbia, MO
- Concord, CA
- Cooleyville, TX
- Cordova, TN
- Cornelius, OR
- Covington, GA
- Covington, LA
- Covington, PA
- Crofton, MD
- Crowley, TX
- Crystal River, FL
- Cudahy, WI
- Dallas, TX
- Damariscotta, ME
- Davie, FL
- Decatur, GA
- Decorah, IA
- DeLand, FL
- Delaware, OH
- Delray Beach, FL
- Denver, CO
- Deptford, NJ
- Derry, NH
- Drumore, PA
- Duluth, GA
- Durham, NC
- Eagle, CO
- East Bethel, MN
- East Longmeadow, MA
- Easthampton, MA
- Easton, MD
- Edmond, OK
- El Cajon, CA
- Ellisville, MO
- Elmwood Park, WI
- Englewood, NJ
- Estero, FL
- Etna, OH
- Eureka Springs, AR
- Eureka, CA
- Evergreen, IL
- Exeter, PA
- Fargo, ND
- Fayetteville, NC
- Fenton, MI
- Fircrest, WA
- Fishers, IN
- Folsom, CA
- Forsyth, GA
- Fort Atkinson, WI
- Fort Collins, CO
- Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Fort Worth, TX
- Fort Wright, KY
- Frederick, MD
- Fredericksburg, VA
- Front Royal, VA
- Fulton County, GA
- Gainesville, FL
- Gainesville, GA
- Gaithersburg, MD
- Garfield, MI
- Gig Harbor, WA
- Gilbert, AZ
- Glastonbury, CT
- Glen Carbon, IL
- Glendale, AZ
- Grass Valley, CA
- Great Falls, MT
- Green Bay, WI
- Green, OH
- Greenfield, MA
- Greenville, NC
- Greenwood, IN
- Gresham, OR
- Groton, GA
- Groton, CT
- Guelph, Ontario
- Hadley, MA
- Hagerstown, MD
- Hailey, ID
- Hallandale, FL
- Hamilton, MT
- Hamilton, NJ
- Harrison, NJ
- Harrison, OH
- Hawaii Kai, HI
- Hawthorne, NJ
- Hayden, ID
- Heber City, UT
- Henderson, KY
- Hercules, CA
- Hernando County, FL
- Hickory, NC
- Highland Hts, OH
- Highland, CA
- Hillsboro, OR
- Hillsborough, NH
- Hilo, HI
- Holiday, FL
- Holyoke, MA
- Hood River, OR
- Hornell, NY
- Houston, TX
- Hudson, OH
- Hyde Park, NY
- Inglewood, CA
- Isle of Wight, VA
- Ithaca, NY
- Jackson, MI
- Jacksonville, FL
- Jefferson County, CO
- Jefferson Hills, PA
- Jefferson, WI
- Joplin, MO
- Kennedale, TX
- Kent Island, MD
- Killingly, CT
- Kingman, AZ
- Knightdale, NC
- La Puente, CA
- Lacey, WA
- Lady’s Island, SC
- Lake County, FL
- Lake Forest, FL
- Lake in the Hills, IL
- Lake Placid, NY
- Lakeland, FL
- Lakeway, TX
- Lancaster, MA
- Lansingburgh, NY
- Lawrence, KS
- Lawrence, NJ
- Layton, UT
- Lee, MA
- Lee’s Summit, MO
- Leeds, NY
- Leominster, MA
- Lewiston, ID
- Lewiston, ME
- Lima, NY
- Lincoln, NB
- Lincoln, CA
- Lincoln, ME
- Lisle, IL
- Littleton, CO
- Littleton, NH
- Liverpool, NY
- Livingston, CA
- Lodi, CA
- Logan, NJ
- Longmont, CO
- Lorain, OH
- Los Angeles, CA
- Lower Gwynedd, PA
- Lower Makefield, PA
- Lumberton, NJ
- Madison, WI
- Manalapan, NJ
- Manchester, NH
- Manhattan, KS
- Manor, PA
- Manteo, NC
- Marietta, GA
- Marine City, MI
- Marlboro, NJ
- Martinez, CA
- Mary Esther, FL
- Mason City, IA
- McKinney, TX
- Medford, OR
- Memphis, TN
- Mendocino County, CA
- Menomonee Falls, WI
- Mentor, OH
- Mesa, AZ
- Mexico City
- Middletown, RI
- Milford, OH
- Milford, PA
- Mill Creek, WA
- Milwaukee, WI
- Minneapolis, MN
- Miramar, FL
- Miramichi, NB
- Mobile, AL
- Mokena, IL
- Monroe, WI
- Monsey, NY
- Monument, CO
- Morgantown, WV
- Mount Joy, PA
- Mount Pleasant, NY
- Mount Pleasant, SC
- Murphy, TX
- Naples, FL
- Nashua, NH
- Neptune Beach, FL
- New Albany, IN
- New Milford, CT
- New Milford, MA
- New Paltz, NY
- New Prague, MN
- New Rochelle, NY
- Newburgh, IN
- Newcastle, ME
- Nobleboro, ME
- North Auburn, CA
- North Aurora, IL
- North Greenbush, NY
- North Lauderdale, FL
- North Miami, FL
- North Olmsted, OH
- Northboro, MA
- Northbrook, IL
- Novato, CA
- Oakland, CA
- Oakley, CA
- Oakville, Ontario
- Ocala, FL
- Ocean Beach, CA
- Oconomowoc, WI
- Old Saybrook, CT
- Olivette, MO
- Orange County, VA
- Orange, CT
- Oregon City, OR
- Oswego, NY
- Ottawa, OH
- Overland Park, KS
- Oxford, NC
- Pajaro, CA
- Paradise, MD
- Park Royal, BC
- Pawleys Island, SC
- Pembroke Pines, FL
- Pennfield, MI
- Pennsville, NJ
- Peterboro, NH
- Phoenix, AZ
- Pittsylvania County, VA
- Plainfield, IL
- Plainville, CT
- Plaistow, NH
- Plymouth, MA
- Port Orange, FL
- Port Townsend, WA
- Portland, OR
- Portsmouth, MI
- Prescott Valley, AZ
- Prince George’s County, MD
- Princeton, MN
- Punta Gorda, FL
- Queens, NY
- Racine, WI
- Raleigh, NC
- Rapho, PA
- Rapid City, SD
- Ravalli County, MT
- Reading, MA
- Reedley, CA
- Rehobeth, DE
- Reno, NV
- Richardson, TX
- Rindge, NH
- River Falls, WI
- Riverhead, NY
- Roanoke, VA
- Rockland, ME
- Rohnert Park, CA
- Rotterdam, NY
- Rutland Charter, MI
- Salinas, CA
- Salt Lake City, UT
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- San Juan Capistrano, CA
- San Luis Obispo, CA
- San Marcos, CA
- Santa Rosa, CA
- Saranac Lake, NY
- Sarasota, FL
- Saugus, MA
- Seabrook, NH
- Seekonk, MA
- Seminole County, FL
- Silverthorne, CO
- Simi Valley, CA
- Sioux Falls, SD
- Somerville, MA
- Southlake, TX
- Spokane, WA
- Spooner, WI
- Spring, PA
- Springfield, MO
- St. Albans, VT
- St. Charles, IL
- St. Cloud, MN
- St. Johnsbury, VT
- St. Louis, MO
- St. Peters, MO
- St. Petersburg, FL
- Stafford Springs, CT
- Stilwell, KS
- Stockton, CA
- Stoughton, WI
- Stratford, Ontario
- Stratham, NH
- Strongsville, OH
- Sturgeon Bay, WI
- Sunrise, FL
- Surrey, British Columbia
- Sutton, MA
- Talbot County, MD
- Taos, NM
- Tarpon Springs, FL
- Taylorsville, UT
- Teays Valley, WV
- Temple Terrace, FL
- Terre Haute, IN
- Thornton, CO
- Tijeras, NM
- Tinley Park, IL
- Tolland, CT
- Topsham, ME
- Tucson, AZ
- Turlock, CA
- Union City, CA
- Upland, CA
- Utuado, PR
- Vallejo, CA
- Vancouver, British Columbia
- Vancouver, WA
- Venice, FL
- Ventura, CA
- Vernon Hills, IL
- Vernon, CT
- Vineland, NJ
- Waite Park, MN
- Walpole, NH
- Warren, OR
- Warrenton, VA
- Warsaw, MO
- Warwick, NY
- Washington, DC
- Waterloo
- Watertown, MA
- Waukesha, WI
- Waxhaw, NC
- Wells, ME
- Wellsville, NY
- West Hempfield, PA
- West Lake Village, CA
- Westerville, OH
- Westfield, IN
- Westford, MA
- Westlake, OH
- Wheaton, IL
- White Lake, MI
- Wichita, KS
- Williamsburg, VA
- Willison, VT
- Willows, CA
- Windham, CT
- Windsor, CO
- Winston-Salem, NC
- Woodland Park, CO
- Woodland, CA
- Yankton, SD
- Yarmouth, MA
- Yellow Springs, OH
- Yucaipa, CA
- Yucca Valley, CA
- Zionsville, IN
How We Can Help
Protecting Main Street From Megastores and Fulfillment Warehouses
Sprawl-Busters Consultants help local community coalitions on-site to design and implement successful campaigns against megastores and other undesirable large-scale developments.
Strategic Planning
Developing the basic coalition infrastructure necessary to conduct a coordinated campaign.
Field Operations
On-site assistance with the daily logistics of conducting a grass-roots and media campaign.
Electoral Campaigns
Help with campaigns that involve referendums, town meeting votes, exit polls, and more.
Special
Events
Every campaign needs pyrotechnics. We’ll help you attract the media with our reputation.
Tech
Support
Follow-up support by phone, includng special data searches, strategic responses, and more.
Your Quality of Life
is Worth More than a
Cheap Pair of Underwear
If a warehouse or big box store is causing you a big problem, call on Sprawl-Busters! Local visits can be arranged. Contact us for more information.