The Walton Doctrine On the March
September 21, 2005
In 1823, U.S. President James Monroe issued the “Monroe Doctrine”, in effect warning European nations that the American continents were no longer open to European
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Another Warning About the Bank of Wal-Mart
September 21, 2005
In the book “The Case Against Wal-Mart,” we wrote about Sam Walton’s son, Jim, and the banking empire that Sam created, now called Arvest. Over
Catching Up On A Lowe’s Defeat
September 21, 2005
Every once in a while a citizen will report a big box defeat that slipped right by us. This happens all the time, given the
Wal-Mart’s Arbor Day Award Hits Buzz Saw
September 21, 2005
Wal-Mart issued a two page press release yesterday announcing that the company “took home the coveted Award of Excellence for the National Arbor Day Building
Residents Seek To Block Wal-Mart On Industrial Land
September 20, 2005
Residents in Fairfax, Ohio have formed the group Fairfax First to stop the development of a proposed 200,000 s.f. Wal-Mart supercenter. The land is located
Citizens Want To Annex Land To Block Wal-Mart
September 20, 2005
It doesn’t take much these days to get citizens upset about a Wal-Mart superstore. Sprawl-Busters recently received this account of another battle brewing in the
Workers File International Lawsuit Against Wal-Mart
September 18, 2005
This past week workers in six foreign countries filed a class action lawsuit in California, claiming that they were paid below minimum wage, forced to
Wal-Mart Buys Its Way Into Arizona Towns
September 17, 2005
Who says that you can’t buy votes with money? That’s the whole strategy as far as Wal-Mart is concerned: the group with the most money
Citizens Chase Wal-Mart Away.
September 17, 2005
Residents in Voorhees, New Jersey say they are “thrilled” that a proposed Wal-Mart has been cut out of a developer’s plans in this community. Sprawl-Busters
Will Robert’s Rules Of Order Stop Wal-Mart?
September 17, 2005
Residents in Sante Fe, New Mexico are hoping that a parliamentary rule book will stop a Wal-Mart supercenter from replacing the smaller Wal-Mart the city
Citizens Defeat Another Wal-Mart
September 17, 2005
Sprawl-Busters first heard from citizens in Monroeville, Pennsylvania back in June of 2005. They were organizing to fend off a Wal-Mart supercenter proposal. Three months
Wal-Mart Loses Eight Stores Just In Past Month
September 17, 2005
According to Sprawl-Busters, Wal-Mart has been defeated in the following eight communities in the past month: Monroeville, PA Sept 17 Voorhees, NJ Sept 17 Rotterdam,
Wal-Mart Gets Zoned Out
September 16, 2005
This morning Wal-Mart in Rotterdam, New York is a store without a place to land. The Rotterdam Town Board last night voted 3-2 to create
City Takes Homes By Eminent Domain To Subsidize A Wal-Mart
September 15, 2005
In March of 2003, the City Commission in Newport, Kentucky voted 3-1 to use eminent domain to take the homes of 12 families on 56
Citizens Celebrate Wal-Mart Withdrawal
September 14, 2005
On August 20th, Sprawl-Busters reported that the Planning & Zoning Commission in Avondale, Arizona had unanimously rejected Wal-Mart’s application to build a superstore in town.
Wal-Mart Annexation Voted Down
September 14, 2005
Sprawl-Busters has been writing about Stoughton, Wisconsin since May of 2003, when the group “Uff-da” turned up the heat on Wal-Mart. The battle see-sawed up
Residents Sue Town Over Location Of Wal-Mart Access Road
September 12, 2005
Wal-Mart’s lawyers like to spread the word that the retailer’s projects are a “done deal,” but for the residents of Mahoning township, local officials may
Does Wal-Mart Make You A City?
September 12, 2005
Some residents in Wildomar, California are growing increasingly upset by the news that a super Wal-Mart wants to locate in this small community. The corporation,
A jury has awarded 4 investors, and their company, Gulf Coast Investment, $1 million in actual damag?
September 12, 2005
Great news for Sprawl-Busters across the nation from Wal-Mart today! The retailer told the media today that it will open fewer stores this coming year,
Plenty of Empty Wal-Marts For Evacuees
September 10, 2005
If we could get FEMA and Wal-Mart on the same page, there are more than 350 empty Wal-Marts that could be used to house evacuees
City Council Gives Home Depot Public Welfare
September 10, 2005
Home Depot is the largest home improvement corporation in the world. On the Fortune 500 list of the largest companies, Home Depot ranks 34th, with
Square Box In A Round Hole.
September 9, 2005
Can a square big box fit into a round hole? Wal-Mart’s plan to squeeze a 205,000 s.f. superstore box into Round Lake Beach, Illinois has
Wal-Mart Goes After Neighbors Again
September 9, 2005
Sometimes Wal-Marts show up in clusters, making residents feel like they are battling a swarm of locusts. Residents in three neighboring Ohio towns are all
City Council Reverses Planning Board To OK Wal-Mart
September 8, 2005
They made the wrong decision, and for all the wrong reasons. It was entirely predictable that the City Council in Conover, North Carolina was not
City Commission Reverses Planning Board To OK Home Depot
September 8, 2005
Sprawl-Busters reported on June 11th that a proposed Home Depot in Pembroke Pines, Florida had run into rough weather, when the Planning Board rejected their
Another Wal-Mart Slam-Dunked!
September 8, 2005
Wal-Mart has lost another battle, this time in Miramar, Florida, where things never got off to the right start for the rapacious retailer. Sprawl-Busters reported
Citizens Pile On Testimony Against Wal-Mart.
September 7, 2005
Wal-Mart’s plans to build a supercenter in Yelm, Washington, has become one of the most contentious issues local residents can remember. In early August, Sprawl-Busters
Wal-Mart Gets Cool Reception In Florida Town
September 7, 2005
Wal-Mart stirred up a little bad weather of its own recently in Davie, Florida — and less than two miles from their own store. Sprawl-Busters
Citizens Take Town To Court Over Wal-Mart’Twice.
September 6, 2005
While Albuquerque, New Mexico has its hands full fighting off another Wal-Mart supercenter, just twenty minutes to the east, in the small town of Edgewood,
Wal-Mart Complains It’s Just Small Potatoes.
September 6, 2005
Last year Wal-Mart had over $285 billion in sales, and cleared more than $10 billion in profits. That made the retailer the largest corporation in
Mayor Menino Bakes Wal-Mart’s Bean
September 6, 2005
Wal-Mart recently withdrew from consideration of an empty Filene’s store at a downtown crossing location in Boston, Massachusetts, with no reasons given. A few days
Another Utah Community Up In Arms Over Second Wal-Mart
September 5, 2005
Residents in Logan, Utah are prepared to add their names to the growing list of Utah communities that are fighting the giant retailer. All it
Wal-Mart Workers Form Association
September 1, 2005
The hours and schedule that a Wal-Mart worker gets are based on decisions made hundreds or thousands of miles away by the retailer’s Home Office
Wal-Mart Superstore Will Go to Voters In November
September 1, 2005
Wal-Mart will be running again for office, this time on the November ballot in Westminster, Colorado. Opponents of a new supercenter on Sheridan Boulevard convinced
People Hit Wal-Mart Worse Than Hurricane
August 31, 2005
It took an Act of God in New Orleans, Louisiana to do what neighborhood activists tried to do to Wal-Mart: shut it down. Reports out
Planning Board Rejects Wal-Mart’s Faux “Village” Look
August 31, 2005
Wal-Mart lost its first key vote in Conover, North Carolina, when the Planning Board this week voted 6-4 against rezoning of land for a supercenter,
Wal-Mart Sues City Over Rejection
August 30, 2005
Wal-Mart’s founder was very clear that if a community did not want a Wal-Mart for whatever reason, he did not want his company to go
Citizens Take Lowe’s To Court
August 30, 2005
Lowe’s may be improving home improvement, but residents in Sonora, California see the giant retailer’s proposed 112,000 s.f. store as no improvement at all to
Local Resident Willing To Stand In Front of Wal-Mart Bulldozers
August 30, 2005
The City Council in Austin, Minnesota ignored their local businesses and voted instead to rezone land for the world’s largest retailer. It’s not as if
Home Depot Left Thirsting for Water
August 29, 2005
Home Depot has been hung out to dry, thanks to local activists in Lacey, New Jersey. If the giant retailer thought it was going to
Anti-Wal-Mart Flags Hoisted High Over Township
August 29, 2005
The rain and a muddy farm field couldn’t keep Wal-Mart opponents away on August 27th, when anti-Wal-Mart banners were raised high over Portsmouth, Michigan, next
There Is Life After Wal-Mart Is Defeated.
August 29, 2005
Just about a year ago, Sprawl-Busters wrote that Wal-Mart was giving up the battle in Mission, Kansas. On August, 28, 2004, we wrote, “Wal-Mart is
Hunter College Report Says Wal-Mart Is An Economic Trojan Horse
August 26, 2005
A report released this past week by the Hunter College Center for Community Planning & Development, and the New York City Public Advocate, concludes that
Human Rights Commission Says Wal-Mart At Pyramids Illegal
August 26, 2005
Mexican activist Jaime Lagunez reports to Sprawl-Busters that Mexico’s National Human Rights Commission has declared the construction of Wal Mart at the Teotihuacan pyramid site
Mayor Denies It’s Wal-Mart
August 24, 2005
All it takes these days is the hot breath of a Wal-Mart to get a community up in arms. In Mill Creek, Washington, reports are
City Chooses A Park Instead Of A Wal-Mart
August 23, 2005
Chalk up the 7th. Wal-Mart defeat just in the past two weeks. The Gainesville City Commission voted 4-3 this week not to trade the 32
Wal-Mart Plans Distribution Center, Thanks Schwarzenegger.
August 23, 2005
To help feed its hopes for a superstore empire in California,Wal-Mart has announced this week that it is proposing a regional distribution center in Merced,
City Council Passes Big Box Health Insurance Ordinance
August 20, 2005
This week the New York, New York City Council passed, on a vote of 46-1, a city ordinance that requires stores that sell groceries to
We Do Not Like You, Sam I Am.
August 20, 2005
Citizens in the village of Grafton, Wisconsin did a little retail research, and after visiting a Costco Warehouse Club, decided they wanted a Costco in
Alleged Shoplifter Dies In Wal-Mart Parking Lot.
August 20, 2005
Stacy Driver, 30, of Cleveland, Ohio, a master carpenter and the father of a two year old son, died on Sunday, August 7th. from a