Residents in Pittsfield Township, Michigan have been trying to block the permitting of a Wal-Mart supercenter. The citizen’s group, Pittsfield Community First, has at least
Citizens in Hillsboro, Oregon filed the following update as a post-victory update on Wal-Mart in their town: “A rumor is circulating that Wal-Mart intends to
Even with close to $2 million in welfare on the table, Home Depot has walked away from a Detroit community — for the second time.
Sprawl-Busters received the following citizens’ report this week from the battle lines against Wal-Mart in California: “I am a resident of Elk Grove, CA where
Voters in Lorain, Ohio left no ambiguity for Wal-Mart to figure out. On Tuesday, the giant retailer’s plans to rezone 37 acres of land was
For years Home Depot has tried to break into the City by the Bay, but political resistance to big box stores had previously nailed them
Who says money can’t buy an election? Wal-Mart used its corporate treasury to help win friends in yesterday’s ballot question in Boonville, Missouri, where the
One of the largest retail developers in New England suffered a major setback Tuesday when voters in Agawam, Massachusetts rejected two ballot questions placed by
Residents in Edgewood, New Mexico were unwilling to let their town officials bend the rules for Wal-Mart, and its developer, Fonterra Development. When citizens legally
Activists in Fairbanks, Alaska are engaging in a little Saul Alinsky type organizing. To show their true feelings about Wal-Mart, Fairbanks residents are going to
An affidavit unsealed 5 days ago in Fayetteville, Arkansas by a U.S. District Court Judge confirms that Wal-Mart knew that it had illegal workers cleaning
Residents in Aurora, Illinois are organizing their troops to fight off a newly proposed Wal-Mart supercenter that developers say will have a “new look.” Here’s
The small town of Boonville, Missouri, population 8,200, has had a Wal-Mart discount store since 1985. When it was built, it was an out of
Wal-Mart has yet another legal headache to add to its growing litigation problems. A Circuit Court Judge in Jackson County, Missouri this week granted class
There is no other retailer in America that comes close to the negative ratings that Wal-Mart gets at the ballot box. Last night in Westminster,
The Parish Zoning Commission in Covington, Louisiana listened for two hours to debate over a proposed Wal-Mart supercenter, and then voted 9-0 to table the
Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott said last week that his company “didn’t get where we are today by being like everyone else and driving the middle
On August 30, 2005, Sprawl-Busters predicted that Wal-Mart would lose its appeal of a Gresham, Oregon City Planner’s decision to deny a Wal-Mart supercenter application.
On September 25, 2005, Sprawl-Busters reported that one of the oldest homes in Nashville, Tennessee, the Evergreen Place, had been demolished by an overeager developer,
Three and a half years ago, on May 1, 2002, Sprawl-Busters reported that Home Depot had been repeatedly rejected in San Francisco. “After six years
Last week representatives of Wal-Mart were in India, meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee. The retailer wants to open stores in Kolkata. During
Are you in good physical shape, and looking for a job that will last a year or two? Consider the benefits of working at Wal-Mart.
The scenic coastal town of Damariscotta, Maine is really too picturesque for a Wal-Mart supercenter, but nobody in Bentonville seems to know that yet, as
Residents in LaCrosse, Wisconsin are feeling star-crossed these days, with a new Wal-Mart on two sides of the city. They are starting a campaign to
Today’s Huntsville Times, Alabama opinion column narrates the story of another town that Wal-Mart killed twice — once on the way in, and again on
The business media this week swallowed whole a story cooked up by Wal-Mart’s “kindler, gentler” PR team that the giant retailer will be offering its
Like a whirling dervish that has to keep spinning faster and faster to maintain its balance, Wal-Mart is trying to keep up its growth image
Wal-Mart is planning to build its biggest supercenter prototype in Fairbanks, Alaska, and even residents in this enormous state are upset by the enormity of
Some residents of Westlake Village, California think that a home improvement store will not improve their community. They have been fighting off a Lowe’s store,
Residents in the Western Massachusetts community of East Longmeadow don’t want to take the Lowe’s road. A citizen’s group called East Longmeadow First has formed
Wal-Mart seems to have a special affinity for historic places. They like to tear them down. Latest case in point comes from Streetsboro, Ohio, where
Wal-Mart is that bad retail penny that keeps turning up — in the same place. Citizens in Tallahassee, Florida have filed the following report: “In
Sprawl-Busters reported last week that residents in the Lake Highland area of Dallas, Texas are drawing a line in the Texas dirt against Wal-Mart. He’s
The town that stopped Wal-Mart from buying up one of its last farms, now has a Home Depot to contend with — and neighbors are
Texas has more Wal-Marts and more dead Wal-Marts than any state in the union — and some residents have had enough. The latest dust up
Residents of the Coconut Grove neighborhood in Miami, Florida have put their battle against Home Depot onto film. The world premiere of “Don’t Box Me
Wal-Mart apparently wants South Florida — but does South Florida want Wal-Mart? According to an article in today’s Miami Herald, the feeling does not seem
Residents in Smithville, Tennessee report that Wal-Mart is trying to put a superstore right on their front door — on land that is not properly
Residents in Beaverton, Oregon are as determined as ever that Wal-Mart will not gnaw its way into Beaverton — and hope to beat them just
Yet another example of mindless development comes to us via Polson, Montana, where local residents are nonplussed that Wal-Mart would propose closing down its existing
Wal-Mart often has to toss the bull around to get out the “real facts” about the company, so what’s so strange about the retailer’s wanting
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
The strategies written here were produced by Sprawl-Busters in 2006 at the request of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), mainly for citizen groups that were fighting Walmart. But the tips for fighting unwanted development apply to any project—whether its fighting Dollar General, an Amazon warehouse, or a Home Depot.
Big projects, or small, these BATTLEMART TIPS will help you better understand what you are up against, and how to win your battle.