Wal-Mart Saturates Ohio.
September 30, 2005
Small towns in Ohio are getting a closer look at Wal-Mart than many residents would care to have. The Morning Journal newspaper reports this week
September 2005
Lawmakers Pass ‘Fair Share for Health Care.’
September 30, 2005
This week lawmakers in Suffolk County, New York nearly unanimously passed a law designed to ensure that large employers cover the cost of health care
Wal-Mart Buys Up More of Seiyu
September 30, 2005
In March, 2002, Sprawl-Busters reported that Wal-Mart had purchased a 6.1% share in the Japanese retailer Seiyu, with an option at the time to increase
Home Depot Prepares Major Move Into China
September 30, 2005
Mao’s famous red book is being redone in orange. Chinese news sources today are reporting that Home Depot is poised to invest $15.5 million to
Mayor Breaks Wal-Mart Tie, Sells Out Local Business
September 29, 2005
Mayor Larry Delgado never ran on a campaign platform to destroy existing merchants and the character of his city — but that’s what he’ll have
Residents Upset by Prospect of Wal-Mart
September 28, 2005
Here are two short SOS messages sent to Sprawl-Busters within hours of each other today. The first is from Ripon, California: “Walmart is currently quietly
Home Depot Goes After Another Historic Site
September 28, 2005
If its got historic value, Home Depot wants it. That seems to be the fashion these days. Big box store going after historically valuable properties.
Spaceships Land on Wal-Mart Store
September 28, 2005
In 1998,Wal-Mart was fighting a citizens group in the small town of Hadley, Massachusetts, located along the umbilical cord that runs between the University of
Wal-Mart Voters Win Recall Election, But Lose Mandate.
September 28, 2005
There is nothing like Wal-Mart to drive a wedge through the middle of a small town. Consider the case of Jefferson, Wisconsin, where Wal-Mart has
‘Mining’ Home Depot Heading For Ballot
September 26, 2005
The residents of the former mining town of Frisco, Colorado think they’re getting the shaft. Home Depot wants to build in their town, and has
Country Music Star’s Home Demolish For Home Depot
September 25, 2005
Everything has its price — even history. This week, a developer proceeded to demolish a home known as Evergreen Place, which is on a list
Meyer’s Store Withdraws Due to Big Box Ordinance
September 23, 2005
The Anchorage Daily News reports this week that a lesser big box player, Fred Meyer Stores Inc., which is owned by Kroger, is pulling out
Citizens Stop Wal-Mart’Twice.
September 23, 2005
Two strikes and you’re out in Edmonton, Canada. Sprawl-Busters has heard from Wal-Mart opponents in Edmonton, that Wal-Mart has been stymied twice by angry citizens.
Home Depot Faces Racial Harassment & Sexual Harassment Lawsuits
September 23, 2005
The federal government has brought a lawsuit against Home Depot, the world’s largest home improvement chain, and the company also is a plaintiff in a
Wal-Mart’s 24 Hour Plan Gets Nixed
September 22, 2005
Wal-Mart has gotten an approval to build in Twin Falls, Idaho — but it won’t be open all night. The City Council voted 4-2 to
Another Warning About the Bank of Wal-Mart
September 21, 2005
In the book “The Case Against Wal-Mart,” we wrote about Sam Walton’s son, Jim, and the banking empire that Sam created, now called Arvest. Over
Wal-Mart’s Arbor Day Award Hits Buzz Saw
September 21, 2005
Wal-Mart issued a two page press release yesterday announcing that the company “took home the coveted Award of Excellence for the National Arbor Day Building
Catching Up On A Lowe’s Defeat
September 21, 2005
Every once in a while a citizen will report a big box defeat that slipped right by us. This happens all the time, given the
The Walton Doctrine On the March
September 21, 2005
In 1823, U.S. President James Monroe issued the “Monroe Doctrine”, in effect warning European nations that the American continents were no longer open to European
Residents Seek To Block Wal-Mart On Industrial Land
September 20, 2005
Residents in Fairfax, Ohio have formed the group Fairfax First to stop the development of a proposed 200,000 s.f. Wal-Mart supercenter. The land is located
Citizens Want To Annex Land To Block Wal-Mart
September 20, 2005
It doesn’t take much these days to get citizens upset about a Wal-Mart superstore. Sprawl-Busters recently received this account of another battle brewing in the
Workers File International Lawsuit Against Wal-Mart
September 18, 2005
This past week workers in six foreign countries filed a class action lawsuit in California, claiming that they were paid below minimum wage, forced to
Wal-Mart Loses Eight Stores Just In Past Month
September 17, 2005
According to Sprawl-Busters, Wal-Mart has been defeated in the following eight communities in the past month: Monroeville, PA Sept 17 Voorhees, NJ Sept 17 Rotterdam,
Citizens Defeat Another Wal-Mart
September 17, 2005
Sprawl-Busters first heard from citizens in Monroeville, Pennsylvania back in June of 2005. They were organizing to fend off a Wal-Mart supercenter proposal. Three months
Will Robert’s Rules Of Order Stop Wal-Mart?
September 17, 2005
Residents in Sante Fe, New Mexico are hoping that a parliamentary rule book will stop a Wal-Mart supercenter from replacing the smaller Wal-Mart the city
Citizens Chase Wal-Mart Away.
September 17, 2005
Residents in Voorhees, New Jersey say they are “thrilled” that a proposed Wal-Mart has been cut out of a developer’s plans in this community. Sprawl-Busters
Wal-Mart Buys Its Way Into Arizona Towns
September 17, 2005
Who says that you can’t buy votes with money? That’s the whole strategy as far as Wal-Mart is concerned: the group with the most money
Wal-Mart Gets Zoned Out
September 16, 2005
This morning Wal-Mart in Rotterdam, New York is a store without a place to land. The Rotterdam Town Board last night voted 3-2 to create
City Takes Homes By Eminent Domain To Subsidize A Wal-Mart
September 15, 2005
In March of 2003, the City Commission in Newport, Kentucky voted 3-1 to use eminent domain to take the homes of 12 families on 56
Citizens Celebrate Wal-Mart Withdrawal
September 14, 2005
On August 20th, Sprawl-Busters reported that the Planning & Zoning Commission in Avondale, Arizona had unanimously rejected Wal-Mart’s application to build a superstore in town.
Wal-Mart Annexation Voted Down
September 14, 2005
Sprawl-Busters has been writing about Stoughton, Wisconsin since May of 2003, when the group “Uff-da” turned up the heat on Wal-Mart. The battle see-sawed up
A jury has awarded 4 investors, and their company, Gulf Coast Investment, $1 million in actual damag?
September 12, 2005
Great news for Sprawl-Busters across the nation from Wal-Mart today! The retailer told the media today that it will open fewer stores this coming year,
Does Wal-Mart Make You A City?
September 12, 2005
Some residents in Wildomar, California are growing increasingly upset by the news that a super Wal-Mart wants to locate in this small community. The corporation,
Residents Sue Town Over Location Of Wal-Mart Access Road
September 12, 2005
Wal-Mart’s lawyers like to spread the word that the retailer’s projects are a “done deal,” but for the residents of Mahoning township, local officials may
City Council Gives Home Depot Public Welfare
September 10, 2005
Home Depot is the largest home improvement corporation in the world. On the Fortune 500 list of the largest companies, Home Depot ranks 34th, with
Plenty of Empty Wal-Marts For Evacuees
September 10, 2005
If we could get FEMA and Wal-Mart on the same page, there are more than 350 empty Wal-Marts that could be used to house evacuees
Square Box In A Round Hole.
September 9, 2005
Can a square big box fit into a round hole? Wal-Mart’s plan to squeeze a 205,000 s.f. superstore box into Round Lake Beach, Illinois has
Wal-Mart Goes After Neighbors Again
September 9, 2005
Sometimes Wal-Marts show up in clusters, making residents feel like they are battling a swarm of locusts. Residents in three neighboring Ohio towns are all
City Council Reverses Planning Board To OK Wal-Mart
September 8, 2005
They made the wrong decision, and for all the wrong reasons. It was entirely predictable that the City Council in Conover, North Carolina was not
City Commission Reverses Planning Board To OK Home Depot
September 8, 2005
Sprawl-Busters reported on June 11th that a proposed Home Depot in Pembroke Pines, Florida had run into rough weather, when the Planning Board rejected their
Another Wal-Mart Slam-Dunked!
September 8, 2005
Wal-Mart has lost another battle, this time in Miramar, Florida, where things never got off to the right start for the rapacious retailer. Sprawl-Busters reported
Citizens Pile On Testimony Against Wal-Mart.
September 7, 2005
Wal-Mart’s plans to build a supercenter in Yelm, Washington, has become one of the most contentious issues local residents can remember. In early August, Sprawl-Busters
Wal-Mart Gets Cool Reception In Florida Town
September 7, 2005
Wal-Mart stirred up a little bad weather of its own recently in Davie, Florida — and less than two miles from their own store. Sprawl-Busters
Mayor Menino Bakes Wal-Mart’s Bean
September 6, 2005
Wal-Mart recently withdrew from consideration of an empty Filene’s store at a downtown crossing location in Boston, Massachusetts, with no reasons given. A few days
Citizens Take Town To Court Over Wal-Mart’Twice.
September 6, 2005
While Albuquerque, New Mexico has its hands full fighting off another Wal-Mart supercenter, just twenty minutes to the east, in the small town of Edgewood,
Wal-Mart Complains It’s Just Small Potatoes.
September 6, 2005
Last year Wal-Mart had over $285 billion in sales, and cleared more than $10 billion in profits. That made the retailer the largest corporation in
Another Utah Community Up In Arms Over Second Wal-Mart
September 5, 2005
Residents in Logan, Utah are prepared to add their names to the growing list of Utah communities that are fighting the giant retailer. All it
Wal-Mart Workers Form Association
September 1, 2005
The hours and schedule that a Wal-Mart worker gets are based on decisions made hundreds or thousands of miles away by the retailer’s Home Office
Wal-Mart Superstore Will Go to Voters In November
September 1, 2005
Wal-Mart will be running again for office, this time on the November ballot in Westminster, Colorado. Opponents of a new supercenter on Sheridan Boulevard convinced