Wal-Mart’s Coughlingate
August 13, 2006
Tom Coughlin, the former Vice Chairman of Wal-Mart’s board of directors, and the man often at CEO Lee Scott’s right hand during the company’s Saturday
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Jury Awards Wal-Mart Shooting Victim $4.2 Million
August 12, 2006
Katoria Lee, 35, who works for the Ford Motor Company, stopped off at a Wal-Mart store in Riverdale, Georgia on March 8, 2001, and picked
City Council Puts Target Proposal On Ballot
August 11, 2006
The City Council in Davis, California wants the voters to tell them what to do about a huge, sprawling Target store. On November 7, 2006,
Wal-Mart Officially Departs
August 11, 2006
After years of trying to push itself on this small community, and two losses, it appears that Wal-Mart has finally thrown in the cards in
Wal-Mart Defeated A Second Time
August 9, 2006
With ten years in between loses, Wal-Mart is now a two-time loser in the city of Beaverton, Oregon. Sprawl-Busters reported in October of 2005, that
Mayor Doesn’t Want Wal-Mart
August 9, 2006
Many elected officials want Wal-Mart to come to their town because their planners have told them that this is how you solve a city’s financial
Wal-Mart digs up bodies in a pioneer cemetery, citizens go to court.
August 6, 2006
A citizens group called South East Aurora Quality of Life (SEAQOL, Inc) has sued the city of Aurora, Colorado for allowing a Wal-Mart to be
Citizens Will Appeal City Planner’s Approval of Wal-Mart
August 6, 2006
Activists in Gresham, Oregon responded quickly to a city planner’s decision to approve a Wal-Mart supercenter. The city approved the plan July 27th, and on
Wal-Mart Wants Town To Bend Its Rules
August 6, 2006
Town officials in Waynesville, North Carolina have apparently got a big problem with big box stores. The Citizen-Times newspaper reports that the town is “going
Soil Contamination Ends Wal-Mart Deal
August 6, 2006
Cumberland County, North Carolina already has five Wal-Mart supercenters, but the area was spared its sixth sprawling outlet because of leaking gas. The Fayetteville Observer
Lack of Funds Ends Citizen’s Battle With Home Depot
August 6, 2006
It helps enormously when fighting enormous developments to have deep pockets. Most developers, by definition, have plenty of cash, and most citizen groups hold bake
Wal-Mart Gets Slam-Dunked
August 2, 2006
After spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to try to impress the local folk, Wal-Mart walked away last night without a single vote of support.
Auf Wiedersehen, Wal-Mart
July 30, 2006
Wie geht es ihnen,Wal-Mart? Nicht so gut! Two months ago, Sprawl-Busters marked the collapse of Wal-Mart in South Korea, and noted that the retailer’s German
Living Wage Law Adopted By City Council
July 27, 2006
The Chicago City Council, over the objections of its Mayor, adopted a “living wage” ordinance that requires large stores, such as Target, Wal-Mart, Lowe’s and
City Offers ‘Incentives’ to Lure More Big Boxes
July 26, 2006
There are currently three empty Wal-Marts in South Carolina, and one of them happens to be a 91,000 s.f. Wal-Mart discount store, which the retailer
Wal-Mart Hires More Big Name ‘Ambassadors’
July 25, 2006
Wal-Mart’s Public Relations Machine is working over-time these days, as the company keeps spending shareholder’s money on Big Name “Ambassadors” to help move the company’s
City Votes to Rezone Mayor’s Land For A Supercenter
July 22, 2006
“This thing is such a mess,” one neighbor wrote Sprawl Busters, “that I hardly know where to start.” Citizens in Forsyth, Georgia are battling not
Candidates For Public Office Told Not To Discuss Wal-Mart Deal
July 22, 2006
A gag order has been put into effect in the community of Poway, California. Candidates running for public office have been warned by the city
Town Council Slam Dunks Wal-Mart 4-0.
July 20, 2006
Wal-Mart couldn’t muster a single vote early this morning when it came before the Town Council in Davie, Florida. Sprawl-Busters reported on May 22nd that
Residents Organize To Block 2nd.Wal-Mart
July 20, 2006
Johnny Cash may have sung about being stuck in Folsom prison, but residents in this California community don’t want to be stuck inside the walls
TIAA-CREF Dumps Coke, But What About Wal-Mart?
July 19, 2006
TIAA-CREF, which describes itself as a “national financial services organization and the leading provider of retirement services in the academic, research, medical and cultural fields,”
Wal-Mart Pulls Plug On Its Own Project
July 19, 2006
Residents in Rapid City, South Dakota are celebrating this week the rapid departure of a planned Wal-Mart superstore. According to a report sent to Sprawl-Busters,
Wal-Mart Slides Over To the Next Town
July 19, 2006
When Wal-Mart tried to build a supercenter on Route 117 in Leominster, Massachusetts, they stirred up the animosity of area neighbors, who took the city
Religious Groups Settle Lawsuit In Return for a ‘Living Wall’ to Separate Wal-Mart
July 18, 2006
Good fences don’t really make good neighbors, they just defuse the tension. This is certainly true in Guelph, Ontario, where a coalition of religious groups
Citizens Win Size Limit on Wal-Mart Supercenter
July 16, 2006
The Tallahassee Democrat newspaper called it a “surprising procedural move.” But Wal-Mart opponents in Tallahassee, Florida just called it a “victory.” The “surprise” was that
Wal-Mart Seeks $34 Million Refund From Taxpayers
July 7, 2006
Wal-Mart tries to sell itself as a tax generator, but officials in North Carolina have seen the opposite side of the retailer. Wal-Mart, the world’s
Wal-Mart Store Demolished After 20 Years.
July 7, 2006
What’s the lifespan of a Wal-Mart building? The folks in Wood River, Illinois feel lucky to have gotten 20 years out of their 104,000 s.f.
Keeping Wal-Mart Out Of The Middle Kingdom
July 6, 2006
Wal-Mart wants to break into The Middle Kingdom — and many Hobbits want no part of it. Citizens in Atascadero, California are gearing up to
Workers Want Wal-Mart Supervised in Meals & Rest Break Violations
July 6, 2006
Wal-Mart didn’t give its California workers a break, so now the workers aren’t giving Wal-Mart a break. In December, 2005, an Oakland, California jury awarded
Wal-Mart Loses Third Court Case On Size Limit Ordinance
July 5, 2006
Wal-Mart looked at a third strike this week, as a federal appeals court rejected the giant retailer’s claim that a zoning ordinance in Turlock, California,
Residents Battle Benderson’s Wal-Mart “Power Strip”
July 4, 2006
The Town of Hamburg, New York says it is internationally famous for its Devonian fossils and shale outcroppings along the banks of the Eighteen Mile
Fires Plague Home Depot
July 3, 2006
Local officials reviewing Home Depot proposals — especially ones near residential properties — should check beyond local fire officials before signing off on a big
Target Store Heading to Novemer 7th Ballot
July 2, 2006
In early May, Target filed a formal land use plan with the city of Davis, California, seeking to build a 137,000 s.f store and four
Town Transfers Land to Neighboring City For a Wal-Mart
July 1, 2006
There are two Wal-Mart supercenters within 18 miles of Fabius, Michigan, but two local communities want another one so much, they are willing to share
Home Depot Loses Site Case in Court
July 1, 2006
A Superior Court judge in New Jersey has hammered Home Depot’s efforts to construct a store in Logan Township, New Jersey. The Gloucester County Times
Wal-Mart ‘Expects Organized Opposition’ To Every Store
July 1, 2006
Battles against Wal-Mart have become so commonplace, that the retailer has admitted they expect to encounter organized opposition every time a store goes through a
Wal-Mart Agrees To Union Demands
June 30, 2006
Wal-Mart gives all of its managers a copy of their Manager’s Toolbox to Remaining Union-Free. The company says in that manual that it is strongly
Wal-Mart Gone, But Not For Good
June 29, 2006
Wal-Mart has announced that it is withdrawing its proposal to build a sixth supercenter in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The retailer’s proposal for the Soaring Eagles
Wal-Mart’s Taco Chip Trial
June 29, 2006
A handful of taco chips has landed Wal-Mart in court on a racial discrimination case. According to the Associated Press, a federal appeals court has
Native Americans Leasing $25 Million Superstore To Wal-Mart.
June 27, 2006
A tribal band of Native Americans may be financially in over their heads with the Wal-Mart corporation. On May 23, 2009, Sprawl-Busters reported that the
City Passes Size Cap To Keep Big Boxes Out.
June 26, 2006
Sprawl-Busters reported on August 6, 2005 that Wal-Mart’s lawyers had blown a court appeal by sending their legal forms first-class mail, instead of certified mail.
Developer Drops Home Depot Plan
June 25, 2006
Who says community groups have no power? Here’s a short story about how one civic group caused a developer to drop his plans for a
Firefighters Find New Use for Empty Wal-Mart
June 25, 2006
Wal-Mart Realty has more than 24,000,000 square feet of empty stores on the market today. Sometimes these huge “dark stores” as Wal-Mart calls them, remain
Wal-Mart Shrinks, But Still Too Big
June 23, 2006
On May, 14, 2006, Sprawl-Busters criticized Wal-Mart for trying to avoid size limits in effect in Tallahassee, Florida to prevent superstore sprawl. The Leon County,
Wal-Mart Plan Doesn’t Get Far in Fargo
June 22, 2006
On April 13, 2006, Sprawl-Busters reported that a proposed Wal-Mart plan had been slam-dunked by the Fargo, North Dakota Planning Commission. The Fargo Forum reported
Wal-Mart Wants God’s Front Yard
June 22, 2006
Wal-Mart has made a financial deal with the Lord. The retailer has found religion in this small community, and is willing to pay good money
Wal-Mart Supercenter Opens, Supplier Factory Closes Down
June 22, 2006
Sometimes two seemingly-unrelated events happen in such close proximity, that even the casual observer can’t help but notice the connection. On November 10, 2004, Sprawl-Busters
Pension Fund Drops Wal-Mart Stock For Human Rights Violations
June 21, 2006
Sprawl-Busters has received a copy of the recommendations of the Norwegian Government Petroleum Fund to drop Wal-Mart stock from its portfolio because the company runs
Residents Fight Wal-Mart In Beach Community
June 7, 2006
Residents in Neptune Beach, Florida are trying to throw sand on Wal-Mart’s plans to locate an out-of-scale superstore in their picturesque community. Here’s a report
Wal-Mart Loses Again
June 7, 2006
Chalk up another victory for citizens. After two defeats, will Wal-Mart ever come back to Saranac Lake, New York? The village Board voted June 5th