“Restoration” Condition on Depot
January 13, 2000
After months of controversy, a non-binding referendum, and City Council resignations, Home Depot has hammered its way into Lake Geneva, WI — but with an
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Dangers At Wal-Mart
January 11, 2000
Sprawl-Busters in Canada sent us two Christmas holiday stories about life at Wal-Mart, and the dangers of shopping there. A Wal-Mart store in Winnipeg had
Wal-Mart “Threat” Backfires
January 7, 2000
On January 5th, Wal-Mart suddenly announced that it was pulling out of a proposed supercenter off Atlanta Highway in Athens, Georgia (see January 4th. newsflash
Nicest Wal-Mart in the nation?
January 6, 2000
The developer of a proposed Wal-Mart supercenter in Stevensville, MD has promised local residents a store that will be more attractive than most Wal-Marts (which
Zoning “Cap” Considered
January 6, 2000
Big box retailing is not headed into the 3rd Mall-ennium in the town of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. As reported in earlier “newsflash” stories, Menomonee Falls
Sour Grapes At Wal-Mart.
January 4, 2000
You can find all the fruit you want at Wal-Mart, but don’t look for sour grapes. That’s the word from Wal-Mart’s attorney in Athens, Georgia,
Another Wal-Mart Injury
December 30, 1999
I have no sympathy for Deborah J. Golden. She should have known better. Many consumers now realize that thousands of shoppers are injured by falling
The Small Sprawl Store
December 30, 1999
Is Wal-Mart paying attention to its critics who have urged the store to shrink in size to accomodate the scale of the small towns it
The Weeki Wachee Wal-Mart
December 28, 1999
I concluded long ago that the Wal-Mart Real Estate department is willing to put a store anywhere you can collect 15 or more acres of
A Wal-Mart Christmas Story.
December 25, 1999
Several days before Christmas, Theresa Delzatto, a severely disabled woman who is paralyzed from the neck down, received a check for $570 from Wal-Mart Stores,
Home Depot Loses Appeal
December 24, 1999
Oakville already has a Home Depot, so don’t feel too bad for the Atlanta-based retailer. They won’t have a 2nd store in Oakville — at
Wal-Mart Gives Girl Scouts A Heave Ho
December 24, 1999
It seems so heartless right before Christmas, but Wal-Mart managers across the nation gave groups like the Salvation Army and the Girl Scouts a sudden
Typical Suburban Hannafords
December 22, 1999
The town hall in Red Hook was filled Monday night to watch only (no public comments were allowed) as nearly half a dozen “suits” from
Home Depot Loses Hole in One
December 19, 1999
The folks in Evergreen Park, Illinois would rather be golfing than going to Home Depot. According to an account in the Chicago Sun Times, a
Mega-Mall Attracts Mega-Opposition
December 19, 1999
Here’s a report just submitted from sprawl-busters in southwest Ohio: “About 40 activists are now involved in the biggest sprawl battle southwest Ohio has ever
No ‘fundamental values’ at Wal-Mart
December 19, 1999
Santa tried to quietly dump a huge superstore under this small town’s tree, but local residents saw the fat man coming, and are now sounding
Win A Car, Stop a Meijer’s
December 19, 1999
The Mayor of the Village of Lisle, IL is in a tough spot. The residents of his community voted last April by a 65% majority
Wal-Mart Feels ‘Animosity’
December 17, 1999
“There was definitely a lot of passion and animosity in the room against Wal-Mart last night,” admitted Wal-Mart’s one employee, who had to confront more
Costco & Wal-Mart Battles
December 15, 1999
An up or down vote on a 147,000 s.f. Costco store will be on the ballot in this community of 60,000 people — but that’s
7th Graders Picket Wal-Mart
December 15, 1999
Picture this scene outside of the Janesville, Wisconsin Wal-Mart on the evening of December 10th. It’s a rainy night, and a group of 15 seventh
Tour the Wal-Mart Site
December 13, 1999
Got nothing to do this Saturday? Looking for something exciting and educational at the same time? How about taking a guided tour of a Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart’s “Plan B”
December 13, 1999
Rockland, Maine already has a Wal-Mart. Although no one in town was clamoring for a larger one — that’s exactly what Wal-Mart now wants to
Albertson’s Has “Tough Quarter”
December 12, 1999
America’s number 2 grocery retailer has told the media that it had a “tough quarter” recently, including settling 8 class action lawsuits brought against it
Home Depot Expansion Nixed
December 12, 1999
Residents of Bonita Springs, Florida have hammered Home Depot right where it hurts. The world’s largest home improvement chain will not be getting the desired
Wal-Mart Fined $2 M in Ammo Case
December 12, 1999
Better late than never in bringing the following story to you: According to the Associated Press, Wal-Mart was hit with a $2.16 million verdict in
Talk is Not Cheap at Wal-Mart
December 12, 1999
The Attorney General of Texas has filed a lawsuit against Wal-Mart, charging that the company has been deceiving the public about the economic value of
Wal-Mart’s Bad Gamble
December 12, 1999
County Commissioners in Clark County, Nevada voted in early October to amend the county’s zoning ordinance to require any retail store larger than 110,000 square
Court Greases The Skids for Wal-Mart Supercenter
December 12, 1999
A New York state Supreme Court justice this week handed residents of Greece, New York a RAW deal. The Court approved a Wal-Mart supercenter over
Wal-Mart Loses Twice
December 12, 1999
Very few details on this one, but sprawl-busters in Ohio report that a proposed Wal-Mart in Westerville, OH was rejected roughly two weeks ago —
Home Depot Races Out of Racine.
December 8, 1999
The Milwaukee Journal Times took a pulse of sentiment regarding a proposed Home Depot in Racine. According to the paper, the “results of a telephone
Is bigger better?
December 4, 1999
The town of Milford, Delaware already has a Wal-Mart. It’s a 72,000 s.f. store, which is almost the size of two football fields — but
Store Size Limit Headed to Ballot
December 4, 1999
On November 3rd (see below) we reported that Wal-Mart’s plans for a “wet” store in the wetlands of Stratham, NH were submerged by community opposition
Wal-Mart Globalizes Poverty
November 30, 1999
Hundreds of union workers are in Seattle, WA this week to protest Wal-Mart’s extensive economic ties with countries with abysmal labor and human rights standards.
Lowe’s Sues Town
November 27, 1999
What you can’t get by regulation, try to get by litigation. That developer’s mantra seems to hold true in Union Township, where township officials recently
Changing Rules for Home Depot
November 27, 1999
Mayor Spyro Condos doesn’t like the odds that Home Depot was up against recently, when the City Council failed to approve the megastore’s plans by
A Target Mirage in the Desert
November 22, 1999
Residents of Scottsdale, AZ are hoping its just a desert mirage. That 47 acre strip development being planned for the scenic Sonoran Desert of Arizona
Flamingos Yes, Wal-Mart No.
November 20, 1999
In our July 20, 1999 newsflash we described the battle in Ashland, VA to keep out a 179,000 s.f. Wal-Mart supercenter. Residents in Ashland adopted
Home Depot Wants the Peach Pie
November 20, 1999
If you go to the Home Depot website, and search the store locator for “Peachtree City, GA”, you will find page after page of Home
Developer Tries to Buy Off Abuttors
November 20, 1999
Ever want to live next door to a Wal-Mart? Not exactly the average homeowner’s idea of Nirvana — but it could pay off in the
Canadians Fight WM Warehouse
November 20, 1999
“The residents would prefer no development, but we realize that’s unrealistic.” So says a member of the Churchville Residents Association, which is battling a $100
Wal-Mart Developer Sues City
November 19, 1999
Rule #1 at Wal-Mart is that “the customer is always right”. Rule #2 is; “If the customer happens to be wrong, refer to Rule #1.”
Home Depot Still Trying
November 19, 1999
On August 12, 1999, newsflash reported that the Racine County Board of Supervisors had rejected a Home Depot rezoning request, but as one town official
A Home Depot Election Story
November 15, 1999
The town of Saratoga Springs, New York has just elected a new Democratic Mayor — and political observers from both parties say Home Depot had
Wal-Mart A Retail Magnet?
November 15, 1999
Wal-Mart wants to build a supercenter in the community of South San Franciso, CA. To warm up residents to the idea, the Wal-Mart community affairs
Eighth Best Moratorium
November 12, 1999
Last month the small community of Easton, MD, the Town Council voted to impose a 3 month moratorium on the processing of big box retail
Democracy, Sponsored by Wal-Mart
November 12, 1999
Wal-Mart must think that participatory democracy is like buying an ad. In several cases recently, the merchant of mass mediocrity has decided to form “citizens”
Surviving Wal-Mart?
November 9, 1999
The Highland, IL News Leader newspaper printed the following tale about life in small town America once Wal-Mart moves in. “Four years ago Jerseyville, IL
A Wal-Mart Bedtime Story.
November 9, 1999
Here’s a little ‘bedtime for businesss” story from the San Mateo, CA. County Times newspaper, about how Wal-Mart helped some local businesses say good night
Wal-Mart Sues for Tax Break
November 8, 1999
“Wal-Mart takes its role as a corporate citizen seriously and willingly assumes its obligation to support public services through taxes.” That’s what Wal-Mart tells new
Wal-Mart Sues Over Rejection
November 6, 1999
We reported on August 27, 1999 (see newsflash below) that the Chandler City Council had voted unanimously to turn down a proposed 212,000 s.f. Wal-Mart
