Lowe’s Rezoning Plan Goes Down a Third Time.
January 30, 2004
Once a charming little farming community lying betweeen two college towns, the town of Hadley, Massachusetts has said yes to so much big box sprawl
Al Norman
City Council Hands Wal-Mart a 110,000 s.f. limit on stores.
January 29, 2004
It was not a good evening for Wal-Mart. The giant retailer did its best to stop the vote, but on January 27th. the City Council
Police Substation Opens Up At Wal-Mart.
January 25, 2004
If the residents of Pine Bluff, Arkansas want police protection, they can go to the new Wal-Mart supercenter to get it. According to the Pine
Sara Lee Sales Hurt By Wal-Mart’s Cheap Underwear.
January 25, 2004
Somebody doesn’t like Sarah Lee. An item from the Reuters news service this weeek notes that quarterly earnings at Sara Lee dropped 10% due to
Voters Approve Size Cap By Large Margin
January 25, 2004
62% of the voters in Damariscotta, Maine handed a major defeat to Wal-Mart and other big box stores yesterday by placing a cap of 35,000
Feds File Another Discrimination Lawsuit Against Wal-Mart
January 25, 2004
Wal-Mart is having a deja vu. Once again the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunties Commission has filed a lawsuit against Wal-Mart, accusing the giant retailer of
City Blocks Plans for a Wal-Mart
January 24, 2004
The Associated Press reports that city officials in West Covina, California have blocked a developer from buying a San Gabriel Valley property that was slated
Residents Celebrate Unanimous Wal-Mart Defeat
January 24, 2004
Homeowners in Manatee County, Florida are celebrating a hard-fought year-long victory, as another Wal-Mart superstore has been slam-dunked by local activists. A powerful developer, Benderson
Wal-Mart Gives Empty Store to Town.
January 24, 2004
Bunkie, LA. When Wal-Mart decided to shut down its store in Bunkie, Louisiana, the town asked Wal-Mart to keep the store open, but failing that,
Grocery Chain Appeals Wal-Mart Supercenter Plan For Second Time
January 24, 2004
A proposed Wal-Mart supercenter in Massachusetts has been thrown into deep freeze. On January 14, 2008, Sprawl-Busters reported that Demoulas Super Markets Inc. of Tewksbury,
Secret Corporate Welfare Deal Angers Residents.
January 24, 2004
Residents in Beaver Dam,Wisconsin were stunned to learn that their local officials had been secretly working on a massive infusion of public tax dollars for
Lack of City Council Support Ends Wal-Mart Proposal
January 19, 2004
Add another town to the Wal-Mart slam-dunk list. The Glendale Star newpaper called it a “shocking turn of events.” Wal-Mart announced this past week that
Wal-Mart’s PAC Is Number One in Political Donations
January 19, 2004
The money you spend on cheap underwear at Wal-Mart, could end up paying for elected officials in Congress who spend much of their timing covering
Council Rejects Referendum for Wal-Mart–Again.
January 19, 2004
Just last month, the City Council in Stoughton, Wisconsin voted 8-4 not to hold a non-binding referendum on the subject of the city’s proposed limit
Good New From Home Depot: Less Stores Forecast for 2004
January 17, 2004
The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports that Home Depot is lowering its planned store construction schedule for 2004. The home improvement giant produced new stores at
Citizens Win First Round in Case Against Wal-Mart
January 17, 2004
Residents in Florence, South Carolina have tasted their first victory in an on-going battle against Wal-Mart. Local residents report, “An administrative law judge has ruled
Wal-Mart Brews A Challenge to Starbucks, iTunes
January 17, 2004
In its never-ending quest to take someone else’s market share, Wal-Mart has wandered into gasoline sales, used cars, travel services — whatever turns a profit.
Officials Propose Fee on Big Box Stores
January 17, 2004
The Washington Post reported on January 11, 2004 that county officials in Calvert County, Virginia are proposing new fees that would help local communities pay
Home Depot Shelves Are Empty, Workers Lose Hours
January 17, 2004
Home Depot thought it was going to nail the market shut in the U.S. Virgin Islands when it opened its first store there in 2003.
Wal-Mart Child Labor Violations An Old Story
January 14, 2004
On January 13th, 2004, the New York Times ran a story about an internal audit that Wal-Mart commissioned which revealed that many of its workers
Lowe’s Plan Defeated, But Resurrected, and Sent to Court.
January 10, 2004
On May 23, 2002 Newsflash reported that Lowe’s home improvement store had lost a two year battle in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, when the city council voted
Wal-Mart Loses Lawsuit Over Insurance Profits On Its Dead Employees.
January 10, 2004
They call them ‘dead peasant’ policies — life insurance policies that a company takes out on its employees, naming the company — not the family’s
Wal-Mart Got Slam-Dunked Here.
January 8, 2004
Late breaking news. A reader in Utah emailed me the following update from the Better-Late-Than-Never Department: “You may add Cedar Hills, Utah to your list
Wal-Mart Supercenter Rejected by County Vote.
January 6, 2004
Residents in Hood River, Oregon are partying tonight, after their two year battle with Wal-Mart ended with a vote turning the superstore down. Wal-Mart took
Wal-Mart Supercenter Cuts Hours. “It’s Really Dead” Says Manager.
January 5, 2004
Business is slow at the Wal-Mart in Cheboygan, Wisconsin. So slow, the local manager is cutting back open hours by 33% less than a year
Wal-Mart to Cause Net Loss of 80,000 Retail Jobs in 2004.
January 4, 2004
Wal-Mart has told CBS Marketwatch that it plans to add 160,000 “new” jobs in 2004, of which 3 out of 4 (123,000) will be “full-time”,
Residents In Nine Towns Organize Against Sprawl.
January 3, 2004
Concerned citizens from 9 Pennsylvania towns along the Ohio River corridor- Kilbuck, Aleppo, Avalon, Edgeworth, Emsworth, Glenfield, Ohio, Osborne and Sewickley — have organized to
Wal-Mart ‘Most Admired’, But Not On ‘Best Place to Work’ List.
December 30, 2003
Here’s another piece of the Wal-Mart paradox. Fortune magazine polls executives and Wall St. shakers annually, and ranks Wal-Mart Numero Uno as the “Most Admired”
Citizens Sue County Over Wal-Mart Permit
December 30, 2003
Wal-Mart, we’ll see you in court. That’s the refrain heard around the country, as more and more citizens fight back. According to the Morning News
Court Appeal Turns Home Depot Distribution Center Into An Orange Pumpkin.
December 29, 2003
Home Depot has decided to scrap its plans for a huge, 153,000 s.f., 24-hour distribution center in the town of Sutton, Massachusetts. The Sutton plan
Citizens Keep Up Court Battle To Stop Wal-Mart in Lower Garden District.
December 28, 2003
The Battle of New Orleans against Wal-Mart took another turn this week, as a host of environmental and citizens groups once again went to court
Wal-Mart Iniative Petition Challenged in Court.
December 24, 2003
Is Wal-Mart big enough to be above the law? Wal-Mart’s effort to put itself on the ballot in Inglewood, California and avoid local zoning rules,
Residents Take Wal-Mart Project to Court. Trial in February.
December 24, 2003
Our correspondents in Sequim, Washington have sent us the following update on their battle with Wal-Mart: “Out here in the tiny town of Sequim, Washington,
Wal-Mart Goes Downtown with 6th. Store In the County.
December 21, 2003
Wal-Mart’s saturation strategy is simple. “We became our own competition,” Sam Walton said. They are living up to their goal in Fairfield County, Connecticut, where
Residents Organize SWIM To Drown Wal-Mart Plan.
December 21, 2003
Citizens in Milford, Ohio are getting into the SWIM to capsize a proposed Wal-Mart store in their community. According to Channel 9, WCPO TV, a
“Jingling Coins” Song Brings Wal-Mart Holiday Cheer
December 20, 2003
Just returned from that big box store with the everyday low prices? Santa has just returned from China with a sleigh-full of special gifts made
How Sprawled We See Thee Lie
December 17, 2003
O little town of Bethlehem, how sprawled we see thee lie! Residents in Glenmont, New York are still reeling from the proposed creation of a
Empty Wal-Mart Finally Torn Down
December 17, 2003
Four years ago, Wal-Mart put their 95,478 square foot empty store on Highway 80 East in Clinton, Mississippi on the market for lease. It’s more
State Hits Wal-Mart Developer with Pollution Fine
December 17, 2003
O little town of Bethelehem, how sprawled we see thee lie. The New York Department of Environmental Conservation has ordered one of the major ‘big
Town Loses “Old” Wal-Mart, and Property Taxes As Well.
December 17, 2003
Wal-Mart is known for driving a hard bargain, but sometimes in the company’s eagerness to vacate a store, they will give away a bargain as
Angry Residents Force Delay in Wal-Mart Supercenter Vote
December 12, 2003
It was standing room only this week in the Manatee County, Florida Planning Commission as at least 500 angry residents jammed the hearing room to
Wal-Mart Loses Rezoning Fight. Will Not Appeal
December 12, 2003
For the second time in recent months, Wal-Mart has lost a battle to locate in an Oregon community. But this time, they are going to
Church Agrees to Buy Wal-Mart Store, City Loses $10,444 in Taxes.
December 12, 2003
It’s not exactly what city officials can call a bargain for their taxpayers. Wal-Mart wants to build a huge supercenter in Lebanon, Oregon. But that
Elderly Woman’s House Sits In Wal-Mart’s Way.
December 11, 2003
According to the NBC affiliate in Cicero, New York, Wal-Mart wants to build a store in town — but a woman’s home sits right in
County Proposes Innovative Way to Limit Big Boxes Through Traffic Caps.
December 8, 2003
A group called Citizens for Pasco County in Florida has organized to stop several Wal-Mart’s from being built in Bayonet Point and Holiday. They sent
Home Depot Major Contributor to President Bush.
December 7, 2003
On December 4, 2003, President George Bush was slated to make a speech on the economy at the Home Depot store in the small town
City Considers Building Size Limit & Demolition of Empty Stores
December 6, 2003
The Common Council of Stoughton, Wisconsin is considering a “big box ordinance” to add to its zoning code. The purpose of the zoning change is
United Church of Christ Sends Christmas “Justice” Cards to Wal-Mart CEO
December 3, 2003
The United Church of Christ wants holiday shoppers to pause for a moment, and in the spirit of the season, send a Christmas card to
Long-Distance Phone Company Says “Don’t Buy Me Wal-Mart For The Holidays”.
December 3, 2003
What would the holidays be like without a little social justice? Working Assets, the socially-responsible long-distance telephone company, as of today has forwarded 12,032 emails
Wal-Mart Shoppers Trample Woman Over “Stupid DVD”.
November 30, 2003
Black Friday is an important day for retailers. That’s the day after Thanksgiving, when most retailers start to show a profit, ending months of red