Wal-Mart Expansion Delayed Two And A Half Years
September 30, 2006
Wal-Mart stockholders are going to have to learn how to be patient if the giant retailer keeps pushing neighbors around. After two and half years
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Residents Battle Home Depot Over Cap On Size
September 30, 2006
Residents in suburban Stoneham, Massachusetts, just north of Boston, hope to throw a big monkey wrench in Home Depot’s plans to build a store in
$75,000 Fine Dumped on Target For Chemical Spill
September 27, 2006
It was announced this week that Target, the fair-haired big box store with the pseudo-upscale reputation, was hammered with a $75,000 for violating the federal
Residents In Victor Finally Victorious Over Wal-Mart
September 27, 2006
On April 26, 2003, Sprawl-Busters described the efforts of residents in Victor, New York to stop a proposed “Victor Commerce Park” development, which included a
City To Vote On Waterfront Wal-Mart
September 26, 2006
There’s nothing like a Wal-Mart by the water’s edge: the shimmering shadow of its vast, blank walls, the reflected neon of its white logo, the
Home Depot Now Has Gas Stations in Two States
September 25, 2006
Even carpenters and plumbers need gas. So Home Depot, which now calls itself a “home improvement specialty retailer,” is centering on “fueling stations,” a euphemism
Residents Oppose Walgreen’s Demolition of Historic Homes
September 24, 2006
There are roughly 5,401 Walgreens stores in America, but only one New Philadephia, Ohio. Residents in this community are battling the “largest drugstore chain” in
Residents Don’t Want Home Depot Near Their Wetlands
September 24, 2006
On October 3rd, the Long Beach, California City Council will hear an appeal in a Home Depot Design Center case. Residents in East Long Beach
Wal-Mart’s Cheap Drugs: A Placebo For Their Health Care Ailments?
September 23, 2006
ABC News said Wal-Mart’s announcement yesterday that it would sell 291 generic drugs at “just $4” per month, meant “lifesaving pills are about to get
Wal-Mart Spends $300,000 To Save A Mayor
September 22, 2006
How much is a Mayor worth? In Wal-Mart’s case, a $300,000 investment will yield more than $100 million a year. That’s how much Wal-Mart will
Citizens Battered & Bruised From Wal-Mart Battle
September 22, 2006
Residents in Albuquerque, New Mexico have been battling with Wal-Marts in various locations in the city for many years. They report that they are low
Township Residents Fight Hillside Wal-Mart
September 22, 2006
Residents in Springfield Township, Ohio are having a “close encounter” with a huge retailer — much closer than they want. Neighbors have formed a citizen’s
City Offers Wal-Mart $7.85 Million Welfare Payment
September 21, 2006
City officials in Broomfield, Colorado have offered to pay for 49% of the cost of site acquisition for a Wal-Mart supercenter — a deal that
Wal-Mart Developer Uses Too Many Explosives, Shuts Down Road
September 20, 2006
Wal-Mart is doing a landslide business in Kilbuck, Pennsylvania — literally. A report in the Tribune-Review today says that all lanes of Route 65 near
Wal-Mart Wants To Use Workers As Political Force
September 19, 2006
In the last major national campaign cycle in 2004, Wal-Mart’s political action committee, known as the “Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., PAC for Responsible Government” was one
Wal-Mart Offers to Pay Half of City’s Legal Fees
September 17, 2006
On August 6, 2006, Sprawl-Busters described the battle over a Wal-Mart supercenter in Hartford, Wisconsin, and the efforts of local residents to stop the giant
Wal-Mart Supercenter Proposal Suddenly Pulled
September 17, 2006
Three days ago, Wal-Mart’s proposal to build a 165,000 s.f. store on 53-acres in Lima, New York suddenly imploded. The retailer issued a 41 word
Citizens Force County To Conduct Environmental Impact of Wal-Mart
September 17, 2006
Earlier this month, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported that citizens in Mill Creek, Washington were objecting to the way development and decision-making on land use was
Target Looking for Katrina Welfare Payments
September 16, 2006
The media has exhaustively covered the story of the devastation that hurricanes Katrina and Rita wrought on the gulf coast. Stories of flood victims, homeowners
City Puts $72,000 Lien on Home Depot For Permit Violations
September 16, 2006
Home Depot built a 125,000 s.f. store in Clermont, Florida roughly three years ago. The project was approved with a conditional use permit, which required,
Living Wage Law Vetoed, But Not Gone
September 16, 2006
This week, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley vetoed legislation that would have forced large companies to pay their workers a living wage. According to Wal-Mart, the
Home Depot’s Mess May Force Shut-Down
September 16, 2006
“Clean up your act!” That’s the municipal message being delivered loud and clear to Home Depot this week by officials in Millcreek Township, Utah. The
Wal-Mart Literally Pulls Up Stakes and Quits Site
September 14, 2006
Local officials in Canton, Illinois have given a Wal-Mart supercenter its last rites this week. According to the Canton Daily Ledger, members of the city
Wal-Mart Spends $200,000 To Protect Local Officials From Recall
September 12, 2006
Wal-Mart often tells local officials it needs help financially to widen a road or lay a sewer line to their stores — but when it
Merchant Opposes Annexation, Tax Subsidy For Wal-Mart
September 10, 2006
This week, Sprawl-Busters received the following report of a proposed Wal-Mart in Clare, Michigan: “Our business is a long time pharmacy in Clare, (20,000 s.f,
Wal-Mart Decides Not to Appeal Rejection
September 9, 2006
Last month, when the Beaverton, Oregon City Council voted unanimously to reject a proposed 152,300 s.f. Wal-Mart supercenter, the company’s representatives immediately threatened a lawsuit.
Wal-Mart Finances Effort to Repeal Size Cap
September 9, 2006
Wal-Mart wants to build a 153,000 s.f. superstore in Hamilton, Montana, and so has a lot riding on an effort to overturn a law in
Wal-Mart Land Option Set To Expire
September 9, 2006
Residents in Spooner, Wisconsin refuse to let up on their efforts to stop Wal-Mart from locating in their small town — despite the fact that
Land Rezoned, Wal-Mart Blocked
September 7, 2006
There is one unhappy developer in Amherst, New York this week. The Amherst Board of Supervisors came back from the Labor Day break and voted
Second Scandinavian Pension Fund Drops Wal-Mart Stock
September 7, 2006
On June 21, 2006, Sprawl-Busters reported that the Norwegian Government Petroleum Fund had voted to drop Wal-Mart stock from its portfolio because the company runs
Wal-Mart Appeals State Environmental Rejection
September 5, 2006
City officials in Marine City, Michigan were stunned when the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality rejected Wal-Mart’s application to build a superstore on Marine City
County Threatens to Shut Access To Home Depot Store
August 31, 2006
Home Depot’s corporate slogan is “You can do it. We can help.” But local officials in Maywood and Lodi, New Jersey think Home Depot can’t
Local Residents Fight the ‘Isthmus of Wal-Mart.’
August 30, 2006
There are six Wal-Mart supercenters within 20 miles of the town of Irmo, South Carolina. There are also 366,128 s.f. of empty Wal-Mart stores in
County Shrinks the Wal-Mart
August 30, 2006
On July 16, 2006, Sprawl-Busters reported that the Leon County, Florida Board of Adjustment and Appeals voted 2-1 to limit the size of a proposed
Residents Sue Town Over Wal-Mart Project
August 29, 2006
Residents in Knightdale, North Carolina, have turned to the same tactic Wal-Mart would use if it were denied in a small town: the courts. Sprawl-Busters
Cap on Size of Stores Considered in Oahu
August 26, 2006
No big stores on the Big Island? The Chairman of the Honolulu, Hawaii City Council has introduced a measure that would ban “supercenters,” which would
Residents Likely To Appeal Home Depot Approval
August 26, 2006
After four hours of debate on August 24th, the Planning Commission in Long Beach, California voted to approved an Environmental Impact Report for a proposed
Wal-Mart Plans A Drive-In Disaster
August 25, 2006
Wal-Mart’s attempts to build a 215,000 s.f. superstore with a gas station at the site of a former Drive-In movie theatre near Route 59 has
Chemical Spill Shuts Down Wal-Mart
August 24, 2006
Wal-Mart neighbors, take note: You may not think of stores like Wal-Mart and Home Depot as repositories of hazardous materials, but that’s exactly what they
Wal-Mart Sent Back For More Answers
August 24, 2006
Sprawl-Busters received the following plea for help this week from residents in Waxhaw, North Carolina: “The area where we live is one of the fastest
Court Orders Wal-Mart To Give Workers Rest Breaks
August 23, 2006
Wal-Mart got no breaks this week, when a judge in Oakland, California ordered the company to follow state laws requiring its hourly workers to get
Wal-Mart Offers Town $50,000 To Defend Annexation
August 23, 2006
Sprawl-Busters reported on November 9, 2005, that Wal-Mart had spent at least $19 per vote to win 1,386 votes in the small city of Boonville,
Wal-Mart Withdraws Application for Special Exception
August 19, 2006
On August 15, 2006, Sprawl-Busters reported that Wal-Mart was back for a second attempt to build a superstore in Sarasota, Florida. This time the company
Consumer Exposes Wal-Mart’s ‘Ad Matching’ Program
August 19, 2006
Duane Gray (not his real name) has written to Sprawl-Busters to expose what he calls a “Wal-Mart scam” involving the retailer’s promotion of “ad matching”
City Officials Collude In Wal-Mart Bait-And-Switch
August 17, 2006
This is the story of a very large bait-and-switch tactic that exchanged apple blossoms for a supercenter. Sprawl-Busters has received the following update on citizen
Walmartopia The Musical! Opens in Manhattan
August 16, 2006
Walmartopia The Musical! — direct from Madison , Wisconsin — opens its New York premiere today, as part of the 2006 New York International Fringe
Pro Wal-Mart Group Won’t Name Its Benefactors
August 15, 2006
On July 6 2006, Sprawl-Busters related the efforts of citizens in Atascadero, California to keep a Wal-Mart supercenter at bay. In response to resident efforts,
Defeated Once, Wal-Mart Returns to the Scene
August 15, 2006
On December 9, 2004, Sprawl-Busters reported that a proposed Wal-Mart supercenter had been rejected in Sarasota, Florida. We noted that County Commissioners used their discretionary
Black Woman Sues Wal-Mart Over Check Incident
August 14, 2006
Roughly two weeks ago, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. announced it was giving $5 million to The National Urban League, an organization devoted to empowering African Americans
State AG’s Office Investigates Home Depot Over Hurricane Shutters
August 13, 2006
When Victor Good bought some hurricane shutters at Home Depot in Palm Coast, Florida, he probably did not know he was buying a can of