Official Says Many Residents Hate Wal-Mart
August 30, 2007
Sugar House is one of Salt Lake City, Utah’s oldest neighborhoods. The local media describes the area as being known for its “distinctive local stores
Al Norman
British Grocer Forces Wal-Mart To Think Small
August 29, 2007
The British are coming! Strategists at Wal-Mart’s Bentonville, Arkansas home office are casting about trying to figure out how to respond to a major new
State Goes After Wal-Mart for Millions In Tax ‘Abuse’ Scheme
August 27, 2007
According to Wal-Mart, the giant retailer paid more than $26.2 million in state and local taxes in the state of Wisconsin in FYE 2007. Unfortunately,
Wal-Mart Wants $5 Million in Welfare For Distribution Center
August 26, 2007
It’s Christmas in August for Wal-Mart. The richest retailer in the world is getting a series of financial “gifts” from Florida taxpayers in return for
Everyone Else Has A Wal-Mart, Why Not Us?
August 23, 2007
The city of Streator, Illinois, has easy access to three interstates (I-55, I-80, and I-39), and according to the local Chamber of Commerce, “lower overhead,
City Rejects Size Cap, Wal-Mart Applies for Rezoning
August 23, 2007
The City of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin is located on the Door County peninsula approximately 45 miles northeast of Green Bay. As of 2000, the population
Plan Commission Closes Book On Proposed Wal-Mart
August 22, 2007
The city of St. Charles, Illinois (pop. 31,834) is “just one hour west of Chicago.” The city has a Downtown St. Charles Partnership, a volunteer-based
Wal-Mart Sells Building Before Moving Out
August 22, 2007
Wal-Mart has a discount store in Hudson, Wisconsin, located at 2222 Crest View Drive. The local newspaper, The Star-Observer, reported this week that Wal-Mart has
Wal-Mart Trying To Build Before Moratorium
August 21, 2007
On July 1, 2007, Sprawl-Busters reported that citizens in Duluth, Georgia were up in arms about a proposed 176,305 s.f. Wal-Mart supercenter on Peachtree Industrial
City Council Adopts Cap on Big Box Stores
August 20, 2007
On August 14th, the City Council in Stockton, California joined a growing number of communities in capping the size of certain big box retail stores.
City Councilor Wants To Limit Big Box Size
August 18, 2007
Dublin, California is located in the Tri-Valley region of San Francisco’s East Bay. The city was created in 1982, and today has a population of
Wal-Mart Still Stuck In Lodi, Again.
August 18, 2007
Oh, lord, stuck in Lodi again. That’s got to be Wal-Mart’s song after five years of spinning its wheels in Lodi, California. On February 16,
Home Depot Pays $10 Million In Hazardous Sludge Case
August 18, 2007
What a waste! Home Depot yesterday admitted to improperly storing and transporting hazardous waste — and dumped out $10 million to settle the case with
Home Rule Ballot.
August 17, 2007
A popular anti-sprawl tool is gaining increasing popularity in Ohio. It’s a zoning voter initiative and referendum process that requires rezoning votes to be passed
Home Depot Permit Revoked By City Council
August 16, 2007
“We Won!” reads the headline on the No Home Depot in Sunland Tujunga Campaign website. “We’ve waited 3 years to say this and these words
Taxpayers To Pay $2 Million To Reuse Empty Wal-Mart
August 16, 2007
At any point in time, Wal-Mart Realty has between 300 and 350 ‘dark stores’ on its hands that Wal-Mart has abandoned. This has been the
Wal-Mart Ponies Up $4 Million In Unpaid Overtime
August 15, 2007
Right in the middle of its worst stock plunge in the past year, Wal-Mart generated more bad headlines today with the announcement that once again
Town To Poll Residents On Wal-Mart
August 13, 2007
Unless the people in Cave Creek, Arizona have been living in a cave, they know the downside of locating a Wal-Mart superstore in their town.
Wal-Mart Sued Over Greenhouse Gas Law
August 13, 2007
Wal-Mart likes to foster the image of an environmentally green company, but its impact on greenhouse gases has attracted a lawsuit in Perris, California. The
Citizen’s Lawsuit Delays Wal-Mart For Nearly Three Years
August 12, 2007
On October 10, 2005, Sprawl-Busters reported that residents in Polson, Montana had organized to prevent Wal-Mart from closing down its existing store, just to build
Mayor Says Wal-Mart Thumbs Its Nose At His City
August 11, 2007
Prichard, Alabama is getting a bad rap, and Wal-Mart is only making things worse. According to a wikipedia entry for the city, Prichard (pop. 28,633)
No One Wants To Be Wal-Mart’s Neighbor
August 11, 2007
The next step for Wal-Mart may be to place an ad on e-harmony, looking for someone compatible. Until then, the retail giant has told city
Home Depot Stock Hammered to 4 Year Low
August 11, 2007
A little good news from Wall Street this past week. Home Depot stock got hammered, reaching a near four year low. The drop in stock
Wal-Mart Plan Tabled Over A New Road
August 10, 2007
Clinton Township, Michigan, is the largest township in the state with nearly 100,000 people. The township offices are located on land adjacent to the Old
Oh, Wal-Mart & the Farmers Should Be Friends
August 7, 2007
A columnist in a Northern Vermont newspaper, who called herself the ‘Hilltop Housewife,” once wrote about her horror upon finding that a Wal-Mart store in
Wal-Mart Supercenter Kills Off Its Discount Store
August 5, 2007
Love ’em, then leave ’em. That’s Wal-Mart’s short story in Trotwood, Ohio. Trotwood is a community of roughly 28,000 people that lies along the first
Site Costs Force Wal-Mart To Quit Plans
August 3, 2007
Wal-Mart currently has 25 supercenters in Washington state, and 20 discount stores. They wanted to add another one in Fircrest, which has been described as
City Council Slam Dunks Wal-Mart Superstore
August 2, 2007
On July 15, 2007, Sprawl-Busters reported that residents in Mary Esther, Florida had effectively organized to block the rezoning of land for a Wal-Mart supercenter.
Wal-Mart Back After Landslide
August 2, 2007
Wal-Mart may literally have buried any hopes they have of building a superstore in Kilbuck, Pennsylvania, but the company is now trying to dig itself
Voters’ Poll Shows 62% Oppose Wal-Mart Coming To Town
July 31, 2007
Sprawl-Busters received an email today from a resident in Ventura, California. “Wal-Mart has signed a lease on an existing K-Mart location here in Ventura,” she
Home Depot, PR Firm Embarrassed By Leaked Memos
July 30, 2007
Public Relations firms don’t always like publicity — especially when the TV camera is pointed at them. This week in the Los Angeles, California neighborhood
Wal-Mart Fights City To Lower Tax Bill
July 30, 2007
There’s nothing that says big corporations should have to pay big tax bills. Wal-Mart likes to boast about how much it pays in taxes every
Upscale Wal-Mart Should Be Voted Down, Say Residents
July 28, 2007
On July 19th, the story broke that Wal-Mart had purchased a 17-acre site at College Boulevard in Carlsbad, California, with plans to build “its most
Sam’s Club Loses Gas Battle—Again
July 28, 2007
For the second time in four years, a Sam’s Club gas station proposal has run out of fuel. Wal-Mart this week scrapped plans to put
Wal-Mart The Cannibal
July 27, 2007
Here’s the theory: It’s better to pick your own pockets, than to have someone else pick them. So Wal-Mart overbuilds in a given trade area,
Wal-Mart Gone—For Now
July 26, 2007
Residents in La Puente, California can relax — for now. The stories about a Wal-Mart supercenter coming to this community of 41,000 people are off
Citizens Hold Off Wal-Mart For Two And A Half Years
July 26, 2007
On March 31, 2007, Sprawl-Busters reported that a Wal-Mart backhoe had begun removing an endangered species of tortoises from the proposed site of a superstore
Newspaper Reader’s Poll Rejects Wal-Mart
July 25, 2007
You know your public relations are slipping when small town voters say they don’t want your retail store to come to town. Nuclear waste dumps,
Wal-Mart Charged With Anti-Union Persecution
July 23, 2007
“Our people make the difference,” Wal-Mart says. But a story different than the Mr. Smiley TV ads of happy “associates” emerged this month in Argentina.
City Councilor Challenges Home Depot Approval
July 21, 2007
On January 20, 2007, Sprawl-Busters updated a story from the Los Angeles neighborhood of Sunland-Tujunga, where residents have been battling Home Depot since the fall
Young City Warned About Wal-Mart
July 21, 2007
In early July, it was reported that Wal-Mart had submitted plans to build a supercenter in Oakley, California. The superstore would be located on 76
Residents Oppose Two-Story Wal-Mart
July 20, 2007
It’s not been an easy stroll through the garden for Wal-Mart in Garden Grove, California. Last night, a crowd estimated at 100 people turned out
Old Wal-Mart Must Be Torn Down
July 18, 2007
What happens to “old” Wal-Marts when the retailer casts them off? Hundreds of communities have found the answer: not much. According to Wal-Mart Realty, the
Wal-Mart Rezoning Gets Slam-Dunked
July 15, 2007
The city of Mary Esther(pop. 4,200) is located in Northwest Florida, in between Fort Walton Beach and Hurlburt Field. The city is only 61 years
Wal-Mart Backs Down On Lawsuit Over Ballot Signatures
July 14, 2007
Wal-Mart’s tough, John-Wayne-shoot-out in Tucson is over — for now. Sprawl-Busters reported on July 6th that Wal-Mart was threatening to take the city of Tucson
Wal-Mart Won’t Let Snake Stand In Superstore’s Way
July 12, 2007
Here’s how big box deals are made in New Jersey. On December 3, 2006, Sprawl-Busters reported that Wal-Mart was having snake problems in Toms River,
Big Box Ordinance Lost On One Councilor’s Vote
July 11, 2007
Residents in San Diego, California will not be protected from big box stores after all. On June 5, 2007, Sprawl-Busters reported that Wal-Mart was threatening
Commissioner Stands Up To Wal-Mart’s Legal Threats
July 7, 2007
On May 12, 2007, Sprawl-Busters reported that Wal-Mart had run into a Wal of opposition in Brooksville, Florida. The Hernando County Commission voted unanimously on
Town Builds A Welfare Road To Wal-Mart
July 7, 2007
Imagine a world where taxpayers in every small town build new roads to every business that wants one. That’s the world Wal-Mart inhabits — a
City Officials Reject Wal-Mart’s Ballot Question
July 6, 2007
Two days ago, Sprawl-Busters updated a story from Tucson, Arizona about Wal-Mart’s funding of a ballot campaign to overturn the city’s big box ordinance that