California tries to slam lid on big-boxed Wal-Mart

[NeoConsSuck]

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2004-03-02-wal-mart_x.htm

BAY POINT, Calif. — Wal-Mart's relentless rollout of new stores has foundered in California like a beached whale. Two years ago, the world's biggest company announced aggressive plans to build 40 of its trademark "supercenters" in this lucrative market of 35 million consumers, the last untapped domestic prize for a global behemoth whose "always low prices" stretch from China to Brazil.

Across the USA, Wal-Mart faces backlash where it once found welcome mats — often with taxpayer-financed sweeteners to boot. From Lawrence, Kan., to Sequim, Wash.; Milford, Ohio; Manatee County, Fla.; Manor, Pa.; Stoughton, Wis.; Urbana, Ill.; and Florence, S.C., communities are questioning whether Wal-Mart's ultracompetitive business practices — critics call them cutthroat and predatory — are in their best interest.

"Ten years ago, fighting Wal-Mart was so unusual it was a national story — small town beats Goliath," says Al Norman, founder of Sprawl-Busters, a Wal-Mart watchdog. "Today, these battles are raging all over."

[SoCalDem]

1. We tried to fight their new "super Walmart" , but lost

:(..

Couple that with the long UFCW strike, and there will be some sad times at the grocery stores here.:(

Walmart already has one store here..

[TroglodyteScholar]

2. One Wal-Mart?

You should come visit the south. You can't throw a rock without hitting a Wal-Mart.

[newyawker99]

5. Hi Concerned GA Voter!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[progressivebydesign]

10. We won!

The town where I live successfully fought Walmart! If you saw the place they were trying to build it.. it was a beautiful forested area, with a vintage motel, and a duck pond. The town was one of the first that successfully fought them. The Target store here is just as bad, though,. BIG BOX, NO WINDOWS!! I HATE those places! The town has a good building policy for retailers, they must be placed amongst the trees, set back, you can hardly see them. Now we are getting a Costco up near the Target and Home Depot. Every town is starting to look the same. I'm glad I live in a place where they fight, at the very least, for stuctures that conform to OUR style.. not theirs. I hope Walmart never darkens our door again.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. There is one county in Arkansas without a WalMart

we've been able to keep it out of Newton County, though some idiots had a petition going to try and get one. Thank heavens there are so few people here and we're all poor! No attraction for Wally World.

Personally, I only go to WM in Boone County (town where I work) if I can't get the stuff anywhere else. I make sure the local merchants know that. Helps make their day.

[La_Serpiente]

4. If Wal-Mart suceeds in California

then I do not know what will stop them. Californians, you have to draw the line in the sand or else it is over.

[bobbieinok]

6. doesn't Wal-Mart have more $$ than in all of CA -state, cos, individuals??

...

[Hell Hath No Fury]

7. Good luck to my friends...

in the East Bay!

:hi:

[pinniped]

8. Damm, looks like stinking wallyworld is coming to town...

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/03/03/BAG1A5D1C91.DTL

Wal-Mart ban loses in Contra Costa

Erin Hallissy, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 3, 2004

Contra Costa County voters rejected a measure Tuesday that would have outlawed huge stores in unincorporated areas, a move that could affect plans by retail giant Wal-Mart to bring 40 supercenters to California.

Wal-Mart's supercenters have sparked fervent opposition in communities throughout the country worried that the giant stores will create traffic problems and increase sprawl. Contra Costa's board of supervisors made a pre- emptive move last year to ban large combination discount and grocery stores, prompting Wal-Mart to fight back with a campaign to put the issue on the ballot.

A "yes" vote on Measure L would have upheld the county's ordinance.

The world's largest retailer, which did not want the law to set a precedent in a state where it has major expansion plans, poured more than $1 million to defeat Measure L, countered by an unlikely coalition of labor unions and Safeway that spent more than $300,000 on the Yes on L campaign.

more-

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/03/03/BAG1A5D1C91.DTL
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[maggrwaggr]

9. Ugh. I live in SoCal and just saw this warm-fuzzy WalMart ad

that seemed to be directed at California. Showed the Mayor of Napa even, all these people running around vineyards, etc.

Disgusting. How can the Mayor of a town be in a WalMart ad? Isn't that a conflict of interest?