County Refuses to Give Home Depot A Sales Tax Break
February 4, 2005
The city of Sterling, Colorado and the surrounding county of Logan did not see eye-to-eye in a tax break deal for the world’s richest home
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Wal-Mart Gets Second Chance in Pharmacists Overtime Case
February 3, 2005
An appeals courts in Colorado has given Wal-Mart a second chance to explain why it should not have to pay some of its own pharmacists
NLRB Allows Union Vote to Take Place at Wal-Mart Store
January 29, 2005
Wal- Mart likes to say it isn’t “anti-union”, its just “non-union.” Several communities in Canada recently succeeded in unionizing their Wal-Mart stores, and now workers
Wal-Mart Offers Underground Parking
January 27, 2005
How do you squeeze a 203,400 s.f. superstore onto 11.5 acres of land? Wal-Mart is proposing to build such a store in Gresham, Oregon by
Residents Organize To Fight Off Wal-Mart
January 27, 2005
All it takes is a whisper about Wal-Mart to get the troops mobilized. Here’s a report from the frontlines in the small town of Ballston
Danish Trade Union Pension Disinvests Wal-Mart Stock.
January 27, 2005
The Danish trade union pension funds LO announced this week that they will drop all shares of Wal-Mart stock. “The Danish trade union pension funds
Community Newspapers Insulted By Wal-Mart’s PR Campaign
January 27, 2005
Wal-Mart’s latest efforts to get out the “real facts” about the company have managed to give the nation’s most reviled retailer one more enemy: community
City Offers Wal-Mart $2.3 Million in Corporate Welfare
January 24, 2005
The City Council in Lafayette, Colorado is desperate. They are offering Wal-Mart millions of dollars to stay in town, and not close down their discount
Wal-Mart Unable To Protect Its Own Workers From Crime At Store
January 22, 2005
You would think that this week’s abduction and murder of a 19 year old Wal-Mart clerk from a Tyler, Texas store would stimulate the company
Another Worker Lawsuit Against Wal-Mart
January 22, 2005
Just as Wal-Mart started to crank up its latest “real facts” campaign to “tell our story” to the public, and defend the honor of its
Wal-Mart To Expand Chinese Stores
January 22, 2005
Most Americans already know that Wal-Mart is addicted to Chinese take out. The giant retailer imports more Chinese products than anyone in American history. “China
Wal-Mart Loses Land To University
January 22, 2005
Wal-Mart flunked the course this week, as it lost out on a bitter battle to control land the retailer wanted to use for another undistinguished
Unions Win Another Wal-Mart Store
January 22, 2005
The hard casing on the corporate shell is starting to crack. There was another painful loss for Wal-Mart this week in its always-present campaign to
Wal-Mart Fails Again to Make 100 Best Companies To Work For
January 20, 2005
Once again, the world’s biggest and richest retailer has failed to make it into the top “100 Best Companies to Work For.” The Fortune magazine
Wal-Mart Voted Down–Again.
January 16, 2005
Wal-Mart is on its way to becoming a two-time loser in the community of Arlington, Texas. Four years ago, the City Council voted against a
Newspaper General Manager Urges Town To “Turn Away” Wal-Mart.
January 15, 2005
Dan Morris is the General Manager of a weekly newspaper called The Greene County Messenger. The paper has been around for 15 years, and it
Consultant Says Wal-Mart Will Double Size Over Next Five Years
January 15, 2005
Retail Forward, a Columbus, Ohio based industry consulting group that likes to release dramatic crystal ball prognostications, put out a new report on January 11th
Wal-Mart Off To Rocky Start in Rego Park
January 15, 2005
The City Council waded through 3 hours of mostly negative testimony against Wal-Mart’s plans to move into Queens, New York at a public hearing this
Residents and Officials Oppose Wal-Mart
January 15, 2005
Battlelines against Wal-Mart are forming almost every time they lay down a plan. A developer by the name of Orco Investments wants to build an
Wal-Mart CEO Invited to Children’s Pajama Party
January 15, 2005
It’s not exactly like inviting a clown to your next children’s party, but there are some similarities. Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott has been invited to
Officials Put Moratorium on Wal-Mart Plans
January 14, 2005
It may be warm in Texas hill country, but Wal-Mart officials got the cold shoulder this week, as city officials in Helotes, Texas put the
Home Depot Found Negligent In Falling Merchandise Case
January 13, 2005
There are more than falling prices at some of our discount stores today. This website has documented the frequent cases of “falling merchandise” injuries and
Wal-Mart PR Blitz: Being “Nibbled To Death By Guppies.”
January 13, 2005
Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott compared his opponents to “guppies” today in an interview with the Associated Press. Scott said widespread criticism of his company is
Citizens Win Court Battle, But Wal-Mart Built Anyway
January 9, 2005
Anti-sprawl activists in Florida won the war, but lost the battle. Attorney Ralf Brookes of Cape Coral, Florida, reports that residents in Spring Hill, Florida
Wal-Mart Pays $14.5 Million to Settle Gun Sales Violations
January 8, 2005
When it comes to gun sales, Wal-Mart apparently has a hair-trigger. The company’s lax policy with regards to selling guns has now caused Wal-Mart to
Wal-Mart Superstore Still In Legal Limbo
January 8, 2005
A judge in Santa Fe, New Mexico ruled last month that the City Council voted legally in August of 2005 to allow Wal-Mart to build
Wal-Mart Hassles City Over Lease For Dead Store
January 8, 2005
The story of how Wal-Mart got into Decorah, Iowa in the floodplain of the Upper Iowa River is a long, and ugly tale. A strong
Judge Allows Worker “Time Theft” Lawsuit Against Wal-Mart To Continue
January 8, 2005
“Our people make the difference,” Wal-Mart boasts. But in Massachusetts, the “difference” could be tens of millions of dollars if employees win their class action
More Anti-Sprawl Songs
January 8, 2005
Readers of Sprawl-Busters from time to time send me songs they have written and performed against big box stores like Wal-Mart. Here, as an entertainment
Another City Rises Up Against Wal-Mart.
January 6, 2005
Wal-Mart has another battle on its hands in the city of Stanwood, Washington. Residents in this community have begun picketing and gathering petition signatures to
Wal-Mart Held Up In Court Over City Betrayal of Residents
January 3, 2005
Residents in Woonsocket, Rhode Island have good reason to feel betrayed by city officials who sold city-owned land to Wal-Mart for a project the original
Illegal Immigrant Janitors Suing Wal-Mart
January 2, 2005
Earlier this year, Wal-Mart told the public it had no idea illegal immigrants were cleaning its stores, but after the illegal workers were busted, they
Developers Willing To Drop Home Depot, Lowe’s.
December 30, 2004
Loyalty in the retail development business doesn’t run deep — at least in Portland, Oregon — where three developers are vying to be chosen by
Wal-Mart Likely To Face Opposition in Queens, Brooklyn
December 29, 2004
The Arkansas Bombers meet the Bronx Bombers. New Yorkers are starting to hear about Wal-Mart’s plans to invade Queens and Brooklyn, in a sort of
Judge Gives Wal-Mart 30 Days To Submit Site Plan
December 29, 2004
A grassroots citizen’s group in Portsmouth, Michigan has kept Wal-Mart in limbo for nearly two years now. This week a Circuit Court judge gave Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Still Opposed After Eight Years
December 29, 2004
In 1996, Wal-Mart announced its intention to build a superstore in the small community of Manor Township, Pennsylvania. Wal-Mart architects had carefully designed a 220,000
Wal-Mart Kids Top State’s Welfare List
December 27, 2004
State taxpayers in West Viriginia have been helping to subsidize workers at Wal-Mart who can’t afford health insurance for their kids. It’s just one more
Court Allows Developer Access to Opponents’ Computers
December 22, 2004
A judge in Delaware has allowed a shopping center developer to gain access to the home computers of opponents of his plan. A citizen’s group
Wal-Mart Slam Dunked 4-0 By Commissioners.
December 19, 2004
On December 13th, the city commissioners in Avondale Estates slam-dunked Wal-Mart 4-0 when they voted down the retailer’s plans to annex land and build a
Another Anti-Wal-Mart Xmas Song from Dee Brantley
December 19, 2004
Every Christmas, Dee Brantley, who is suing Wal-Mart and the developer who built a superstore in her backyard in Lake Charles, Louisiana, ruining the quiet
Court Tells City: Re-Do Wal-Mart Environmental Study
December 16, 2004
Construction at two Wal-Mart supercenters in Bakersfield, California will grind to a halt because of a court order this week. The state’s 5th District Court
Residents Organize To Stop Wal-Mart Saturation
December 15, 2004
Residents in Chandler, Arizona know what it’s like to fight, and beat, a Wal-Mart. They also know what it’s like to be saturated with Wal-Marts.
Home Depot Assistant Managers Sue Their Boss
December 14, 2004
Home Depot is facing an insurrection from its own assistant store managers. The Associated Press reports this week that three current or former assistant managers
Activists Write to UN for Reparations From Wal-Mart and Costco Destruction.
December 12, 2004
An international group of activists, including Sprawl-Busters, has written to United Nations Secretary General Kofi Anan protesting the destruction of cultural heritage by U.S. big
Mayor Writes Wal-Mart: Find Another Location
December 12, 2004
The fight over a Wal-Mart supercenter in Front Royal became one of the most divisive issues in this small community’s history — and the dust
Five National Groups Support Lawsuit Against Wal-Mart
December 12, 2004
Wal-Mart may be open for business in the lower garden district of New Orleans, Louisiana, but the Battle for New Orleans is far from over.
General Motors, or Wal-Mart?
December 11, 2004
If there ever was a symbolic passing of the U.S. economic torch, go to the township of Grand Blanc, Michigan, where a giant retail corporation
Wal-Mart Could Make Millions From Overcharges
December 11, 2004
Wal-Mart could be making millions in profits by overcharging unwary shoppers in the check-out line. State officials in Massachusetts have fined Wal-Marts in 3 locations
Wal-Mart Officials “Stunned” By Defeat
December 10, 2004
Another set of “stunned” Wal-Mart officials made their report to headquarters in Bentonville that another community has rejected them this week. Commissioners in Hall County,
County Rejects Wal-Mart Supercenter On Traffic Issues
December 9, 2004
Wal-Mart has suffered another defeat, this time in Sarasota County, Florida, where County Commissioners used their discretionary police powers this week to declare a proposed