City To Vote Soon on Big Box Limits
March 30, 2009
You can keep a Wal-Mart superstore out of your community with just one sentence. Santa Clara, Californai is about to do just that. Just over
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City Considers $4 Million Bail Out For Wal-Mart Developer
March 29, 2009
Net sales at Wal-Mart for the fiscal year were approximately $401.2 billion, an increase of 7.2% over fiscal year 2008. But even with all this
Wal-Mart Layoffs At Optical Lab Prompt State Review of Tax Deal
March 29, 2009
On March 19, 2009, Wal-Mart announced it had sharply reduced what its customers pay for contact lenses and youth eyewear. But several days later, regulators
Planning Board Gives Wal-Mart An Environmental Short Cut
March 27, 2009
On July 15, 2008, Sprawl-Busters reported that residents in Wawarsing, New York, and the village of Ellenville, New York were fighting a ‘secret’ Wal-Mart. Ellenville
Bi-Lo Grocery Chain Goes into Bankruptcy.
March 26, 2009
Wal-Mart has been compared to a retail plague: it kills off the weak, and makes everyone else sick. Economic illiterates (i.e. elected officials) propagate the
Planners Give Wal-Mart Rezoning OK By One Vote
March 26, 2009
It all came down to one person’s vote. But the battle over a Wal-Mart supercenter in Exeter, Pennsylvania is just starting. Residents in the small
Governor Protects Civil War Sites, But Leaves Out Wal-Mart Site
March 25, 2009
On November 2, 2008, Sprawl-Busters reported that Wal-Mart had collided with history. One hundred and fifty four years after one of the bloodiest battles of
Court Ruling In ‘West Dundee 7’ Case Postponed
March 24, 2009
On February 1, 2009, Sprawl-Busters reported that 7 residents of West Dundee, Illinois, had turned to litigation to stop a Wal-Mart supercenter from impacting the
After Four Years, Wal-Mart Cuts Size Of Proposed Superstore
March 24, 2009
Sometimes Wal-Mart is its own worst enemy, by being unable to read the reactions of local residents to their building plans. Years of contentious battles
Wal-Mart Superstores Rank At Bottom for Customer Satisfaction
March 23, 2009
At Wal-Mart, the customer is boss. But apparently the boss is not very satisfied with Wal-Mart supercenters. According to the latest report from the National
On page 9 of the Wal-Mart employee’s manual it says: “We do not tolerate discrimination of any kind.?
March 20, 2009
On page 9 of the Wal-Mart employee’s manual it says: “We do not tolerate discrimination of any kind. Not only is discrimination against our beliefs,
Wal-Mart Impact On Other Businesses Just a ‘Pinch’
March 20, 2009
Wal-Mart’s impact on local businesses is like a sudden violent storm. It hits — but then quickly passes on. Just ask the folks in Hurricane,
Wal-Mart Gets Water-Boarded
March 19, 2009
Wal-Mart has been ‘water boarded,’ and it must feel like the bureaucracy in California is just an endless form of torture. On November 11, 2007
Court Ruling Unties Wal-Mart After Four Year Hold
March 18, 2009
One legal appeal has just cost Wal-Mart four years of profits in a Massachusetts community — and the case isn’t over yet. On January 14,
Two Wal-Marts Still Not Done After Five Year Snooze
March 18, 2009
Wal-Mart is wiping away the cobwebs in Bakersfield, California, and after years of delay, is returning to the construction of two contentious superstores in this
Wal-Mart Gets 20 Year Welfare Deal For Return Center
March 17, 2009
On February 12, 2009, Sprawl-Busters reported that Wal-Mart was shutting down its “Return Center” in Macon, Georgia, and the 400 jobs at the facility would
Wal-Mart Begins Petition Drive To Repeal Superstore Ban
March 17, 2009
Citizen Wal-Mart is out gathering signatures in Salinas, California. On March 4, 2009, Sprawl-Busters reported that the City Council in Salinas, voted 5-2 to pass
Wal-Mart To Tear Down ‘Old’ Store, Replace With Superstore
March 16, 2009
On January 9, 2009, Sprawl-Busters reported that Wal-Mart has seven supercenters in the state of Massachusetts, and 39 discount stores. Wal-Mart’s plan is to either
Small Wine Sellers Organize To Block Wal-Mart Wine Sales
March 14, 2009
On December 16, 2008, Governor David Paterson of New York released a proposal to legalize and allow the sale of wine in grocery stores. Five
Wal-Mart Continues Its Wasteful Ways
March 14, 2009
To understand what Wal-Mart is doing in Idaho, you have to visit the community of Lewiston, Idaho. Wal-Mart has retained a real estate company from
Bank of America Encourages Spending At Big Box Stores
March 14, 2009
The head of the embattled Bank of America told members of the Boston College Chief Executive Officers Club this week that his company is now
Town officials in Payson won’t have to search very far to find cheap underwear, since Wal-Mart wants?
March 13, 2009
Town officials in Payson won’t have to search very far to find cheap underwear, since Wal-Mart wants to build a superstore right across Beeline Highway
80% of Voters Reject Rezoning For A Wal-Mart Superstore
March 12, 2009
This week Wal-Mart suffered a very embarrassing defeat at the ballot box. On March 10, 2009, nearly 8 out of 10 voters at the Plaistow,
‘Free Choice’ Debate Formally Kicks Off
March 11, 2009
On the surface, Wal-Mart appears to be thriving while most Americans suffer through the recession. But the company’s 1.4 million workers are not sharing in
Wal-Mart Finally Kills Project. Really.
March 11, 2009
What does it take to kill a Wal-Mart? Residents in Spooner, Wisconsin have buried the Wal-Mart project on more than one occasion — but this
Wal-Mart Superstore Part of Developer’s Bait-And-Switch
March 10, 2009
Developers are pulling a major bait-and-switch in Cecil Township, Pennsylvania, a community with a population of around 10,336 as of 2007. According to the Pittsburg
A million police calls a year at Wal-Mart
March 9, 2009
Mayor Harold Greene of Locust, North Carolina says his little city is “rich with traditional values and progressive leadership.” “I predict a population growth to
Wal-Mart Says Superstores Serve Different Market Than Discount Stores.
March 8, 2009
Wal-Mart doesn’t like to admit that a new superstore will cause an “old” discount store to shut down. They will often deny the obvious —
Wal-Mart Buys Land In The Garden City
March 7, 2009
Wake Up, Little Suzie. The home of the Everly Brothers is about to be invaded by a Wal-Mart superstore. Shenandoah, Iowa is a small “city”
Supervisors OK Wal-Mart Subdivision, But Two Lawsuits Pending
March 6, 2009
On September 19, 2008, Sprawl-Busters reported that Wal-Mart was heading to a courtroom in the community of North Whitehall, Pennsylvania. A group called North Whitehall
Lawsuit Likely Following City Council Vote for Wal-Mart.
March 5, 2009
On February 14, 2009, Sprawl-Busters reported that a lawsuit was in the making in the city of Hesperia, California over a proposed Wal-Mart supercenter. This
Wal-Mart Suffers A Defeat At The OMB
March 5, 2009
After announcing that it was closing down Sam’s Club Canada, Wal-Mart suffered another embarrassing defeat this week in Ontario. Municipal officials in Toronto were pleased
City Council Votes To Ban Superstores
March 4, 2009
The Mayor in Salinas, California has lost control over his City Council. The Mayor urged his colleagues on the Council to vote against a proposed
Political Winds Still Blowing Against Wal-Mart
March 4, 2009
In Chicago, Illinois, Wal-Mart doesn’t need a weatherman to know which way the winds blow. On February 6, 2009, Sprawl-Busters reported that Wal-Mart wanted to
Sam’s Club ‘Experiment’ Implodes In Canada
March 3, 2009
The 1,200 workers at Sam’s Club in Canada were part of a corporate experiment. “When one of our experiments works,” Sam Walton wrote, “watch out.”
Wal-Mart Searches For Voters In March 10th Election
March 2, 2009
Wal-Mart likes to put itself on the ballot. The corporation’s sense of democracy is that the side which spends the most money should win. In
Wal-Mart Pleased With Petition Effort to Break Into L.A.
March 1, 2009
Wal-Mart is excited that a resident of the Florence-Firestone neighborhood near Watts, in Los Angeles, California, is agitating for a superstore. That’s what the company
State’s Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Anti-Wal-Mart Appeal
February 28, 2009
On May 30, 2007, Sprawl-Busters reported that Wal-Mart had become ensnared in a legal mess in the town of Blacksburg, Virginia. The town of Blacksburg
Another Town That Wal-Mart Killed Twice
February 28, 2009
In the early 1990s, Hearne, Texas reached national attention as “the town that Wal-Mart killed twice” — once on the way in, and once on
Costco Withdraws Store Plans Under Heavy Criticism
February 28, 2009
On December 28, 2008, Sprawl-Busters reported that residents in Brookfield, Connecticut had organized to block the construction of a 158,000 s.f. Costco warehouse store on
City Council To Vote On Big Box Size Limit
February 27, 2009
In early December, 2008, the media reported that a former Home Depot at the Harden Ranch Plaza in Salinas, California had been sold to Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Slithers Forward in The Dalles
February 25, 2009
On December 17, 2008, Sprawl-Busters reported that Wal-Mart had launched an assault on the city of The Dalles, Oregon. The Dalles(pronounced “dayulz”) is located in
Wal-Mart Cuts Back Hours, Goes Dark At Midnight
February 25, 2009
The night sky will soon be returning to Mullins, South Carolina. Actually, the stars might not be visible, but the lights should be turned down
Life After Wal-Mart Loses: ‘A Grand Thing.’
February 24, 2009
On April 23, 2006, Sprawl-Busters reported that a three and a half year battle against Wal-Mart was over — and the citizens have won. Sprawl-Busters
Wal-Mart Decides Not To Appeal Court’s Decision
February 24, 2009
R.I.P. for another Wal-Mart superstore. On October 10, 2008, Sprawl-Busters reported that a vaguely written proposal had cost Wal-Mart a multi-million land use deal. A
Wal-Mart Denies ‘Secret’ Agreement With Town Officials
February 22, 2009
Wal-Mart is busy denying rumors of a ‘secret’ deal with town officials in Brooklyn, Connecticut, while at the same time trying to deal with criticisms
Wal-Mart Holds Clearance Sale on Lawsuits
February 22, 2009
Wal-Mart is trying to clear out its legal closet by buying off scores of “old” lawsuits brought by its own workers that have been sitting
Wal-Mart Sale Pushes Mobile Homeowners Out
February 20, 2009
Mobile homeonwers beware: Wal-Mart is eyeing your property! The giant retailer has more than once forced the eviction of mobile homeowners to pave the way
Regional Grocery Chain Crushed By Wal-Mart
February 19, 2009
Mayor Mark Harris of Weirton, West Virginia is thrilled that his small community is finally getting a Wal-Mart supercenter. He doesn’t seem to mind that
Wal-Mart Uses Customer Action Network To Promote Supercenter
February 18, 2009
Shoppers of the world unite! Wal-Mart wants to help you overthrow governments that try to limit your “shopping choices.” Wal-Mart, the community organizer, is putting