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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on Jul 1, 2003

Carbondale Voters Defeat Shopping Center

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/carbondale-voters-defeat-shopping-center/

On July 15, citizens in Carbondale, Colorado, voted 57 to 43 percent to reject a 252,000-square-foot shopping center anchored by a Target store. The hotly debated referendum produced the largest election turnout in the town’s history.

Carbondale is a community of 5,200 people in the Roaring Fork Valley between Glenwood Springs and Aspen. Carbondale has a lively downtown of locally owned businesses, including hardware, book, and clothing stores.

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on Jun 27, 2003

Saving Banff

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/saving-banff/

Banff, like many communities in western Canada, is facing a growing influx of multinational chains. Determined to save their community from becoming"Anyplace, North America," Banff officials are investigating ways to buck the chain store trend. Luckily, they are not in uncharted territory. Communities across the continent have devised effective strategies for limiting chains and nurturing locally owned businesses. Continue reading

Article filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on Jun 27, 2003

Saving Banff

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/saving-banff-2/

Saving Banff by Stacy Mitchell originally published in Calgary Herald, June 27, 2003 Banff, like many communities in western Canada, is facing a growing influx of multinational chains ["Banff fears 'corporate branding' of resort"]. Stores like The Gap and Starbucks are multiplying rapidly, undermining the unique character of this lovely mountain town and displacing locally… Continue reading

Article filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on Apr 1, 2003

Bozeman Caps Size of Retail Stores

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/bozeman-caps-size-retail-stores/

In February, the city of Bozeman, Montana, enacted an ordinance limiting retail stores to no more than 75,000 square feet. The measure makes permanent a temporary moratorium on construction of large retail stores in place for the past year.

The ordinance was approved by a 3-2 vote of the City Commission and took effect on March 21.

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Apr 1, 2003

Britain to Review Supermarket Merger

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/britain-review-supermarket-merger/

In March, British officials launched an inquiry to examine the competitive impacts of a merger between two of the country’s top supermarket chains. The findings could derail attempts by Britain’s top three and number five chains—Tesco, Sainsbury, Wal-Mart-owned Asda, and Morrison—to purchase the fourth largest grocery chain, Safeway. Continue reading

Article filed under Independent Business | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Apr 1, 2003

Taos, New Mexico, Votes to Keep Store Size Limit

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/taos-new-mexico-votes-keep-store-size-limit/

Cheers greeted the Taos, New Mexico, Town Council last month when members voted 3-2 to reject a proposal to allow construction of retail stores as large as 200,000 square feet. The vote reaffirms an ordinance adopted in 1999 that prohibits stores over 80,000 square feet.

The issue has been hotly debated in this community of 7,000 for more than three months. It began when a handful of residents organized under the banner La Gente ("the people") and petitioned the Town Council to lift the store size limit.

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on Apr 1, 2003

Mexico Imposes Code of Conduct on Wal-Mart

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/mexico-impose-code-conduct-walmart/

After a ten-month investigation of Wal-Mart, Mexican antitrust officials have imposed a code of conduct on the company and other large supermarket chains.

The Mexican Federal Competition Commission (CFC) launched the investigation last May to determine whether Wal-Mart was using its market power to pressure suppliers into providing prices substantially lower than those available to other retailers (after accounting for reasonable volume discounts).

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Apr 1, 2003

Big Box Proposal Tests Regional Planning in Pennsylvania

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/big-box-proposal-tests-regional-planning-pennsylvania/

Wal-Mart wants to build a 150,000-square-foot supercenter in Upper Hanover Township, a rural corner of Pennsylvania about one hour northwest of Philadelphia. The supercenter would anchor a large shopping complex, including twin strip malls on opposite sides of the highway.

Two years ago, Wal-Mart would have needed no more than an okay from Upper Hanover officials to proceed.

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Apr 1, 2003

Puerto Rico Okays Wal-Mart Acquisition

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/puerto-rico-okays-walmart-acquisition/

Small business owners are crying foul over an agreement reached between the Puerto Rican government and Wal-Mart. The deal allows Wal-Mart to proceed with its purchase of an island supermarket chain, which will give it control of 40 percent of Puerto Rico’s grocery sales.

Last year Wal-Mart won approval from the Federal Trade Commission to purchase the Amigo supermarket chain. Puerto Rican officials said the deal violated local antitrust laws and sued to block the merger.

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Apr 1, 2003

Missouri Coalitions Works to End Big Box Subsidies

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/missouri-coalitions-works-end-big-box-subsidies/

In Missouri, a coalition of independent businesses and union members are backing a bill that would reform the state’s tax increment financing (TIF) law and put an end to subsidies for suburban big box stores, shopping malls, and other sprawling developments.

TIF allows a municipality to issue bonds to pay for part of the costs of a new development. Future tax revenue from the development is then diverted from the public coffers to pay off the bonds.

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