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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Aug 1, 2002

AT BORDERS, MEGA-PUBLISHERS GET THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/borders-megapublishers-get-keys-kingdom/

Leading publishers will be involved in determining which books are carried at Borders Books stores under a new "category management" plan being phased in this year.

Under the plan, Borders is assigning each of 250 book categories—ranging from thrillers to romance novels—to one of the top publishers in that category. Borders will provide this "category captain" with detailed sales data for all titles in the category, including those of competitors.

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Aug 1, 2002

COMMUNITY HERO CARD PROMOTES LOCAL BUSINESSES AND VOLUNTEERING

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/community-hero-card-promotes-local-businesses-and-volunteering/

A new program in Minneapolis rewards residents for supporting locally owned businesses and volunteering at local nonprofits. Developed by CHC Data Inc., the new Community HeroCard enables residents to earn rebates by shopping at more than 40 local stores. The rebate doubles if the cardholder volunteers at a nonprofit organization.

The card looks like a credit card with a magnetic data strip that works in a standard debit card machine.

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on Aug 1, 2002

Mexico Investigates Wal-Mart For Antitrust Violations

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

In late May, Mexico’s antitrust agency, the Federal Competition Commission, opened an investigation into Wal-Mart for "monopolistic practices." The action was prompted by charges that Wal-Mart has abused its market power by pressuring suppliers to sell goods below cost or at prices substantially lower than those available to other retailers (even after accounting for reasonable volume discounts).

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on Aug 1, 2002

IOWA RECONSIDERS LINK TO AMAZON ON STATE WEB SITE

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/iowa-reconsiders-link-amazon-state-web-site/

The state of Iowa is in the process of removing a direct link to Amazon.com from the homepage of its official web site (http://www.iowa.gov). Under the new policy, visitors who click on the prominently placed graphic, "Looking for books about Iowa? Click Here Now," will be directed instead to a page with links to both Amazon.com and Booksense.com, an e-commerce site for independent bookstores.

The decision followed a letter sent by the owners of nine Iowa bookstores.

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on Aug 1, 2002

Video Store Lawsuit Dismissed

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

A federal judge has dismissed all charges in the antitrust case brought by three independent video rental businesses against Blockbuster Video and several major Hollywood studios. The defendants were charged with price discrimination and conspiracy to prevent independent stores from gaining access to the same revenue-sharing deals available to Blockbuster.

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on Aug 1, 2002

OLD SAYBROOK, CONN. BANS SUPERSTORES

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/old-saybrook-conn-bans-superstores/

After more than four years of fighting to block three big box retailers, the town of Old Saybrook, Connecticut, has adopted an ordinance banning stores over 88,000 square feet. That’s about the size of two football fields, but smaller than a typical Home Depot or Target store. The new law also restricts commercial buildings in some parts of town to no more than 25,000 square feet.

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on Aug 1, 2002

BIG BOX MORATORIUM ON BALLOT IN ELLSWORTH, MAINE

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/big-box-moratorium-ballot-ellsworth-maine/

A grassroots group, Citizens Organized for Responsible Development (CORD), in Ellsworth, Maine, has gathered the 1,109 signatures needed to place a measure calling for a temporary moratorium on new retail development on the November ballot.

If it passes, the referendum will suspend construction of retail stores larger than 80,000 square feet on undeveloped land and commercial expansion of more than 40,000 square feet on developed land for a period of six months.

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Aug 1, 2002

DALLAS REJECTS URBAN SUPERSTORE

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

With much fanfare and, it seemed, the expectation of much praise, Wal-Mart unveiled plans in April for an "urban" style supercenter in downtown Dallas. The 220,000-square-foot supercenter would be situated on Mockingbird Lane in a residential neighborhood near Love Field. Unlike the standard suburban Wal-Mart, this one would feature a Spanish-style façade, landscaped gardens, underground parking, and a door that opened onto the sidewalk.

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on Aug 1, 2002

NEW YORKERS FIGHT CHAIN INCURSION

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/new-yorkers-fight-chain-incursion/

"We have a strong sense of community here," says Krista Wergeland, a resident of Manhattan’s Upper West Side and member of a neighborhood group working to block an incursion of fast-food restaurants and chain stores.

Long known for being unique and down-to-earth, the Upper West Side is increasingly popular with national retailers like Starbucks, the Gap, and Barnes & Noble. "You wake up and ask yourself: What’s happening to the identity of this community?" said one resident.

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Aug 1, 2002

HOOD RIVER RESIDENTS LINK “ARMS AROUND OUR TOWN”

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/hood-river-residents-link-arms-around-our-town/

More than 200 residents of Hood River, Oregon, linked arms to form a giant circle around their downtown one Friday afternoon in late May. Organized by the Hood River Citizens for Responsible Growth (CRG), the "Arms Around Our Town" event was designed to demonstrate community support for locally owned businesses, and to illustrate just how large a proposed Wal-Mart supercenter would be and how many local stores would be threatened.

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