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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on Dec 1, 2001

Home Depot On The Ballot In Mountain View

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/home-depot-ballot-mountain-view/

The Mountain View City Council voted to place a ballot measure before voters next March that would authorize rezoning land to allow the construction of a 125,000 square foot Home Depot store. Mountain View is a community of about 30,000 located north of San Jose, California.

After failing to win approval from the city council, Home Depot has been gathering signatures to put the matter directly to voters.

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Dec 1, 2001

Consumer Reports Ranks Independent Bookstores #1

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/consumer-reports-ranks-independent-bookstores-1/

In an extensive survey conducted by Consumer Reports, 88 percent of respondents said they were either completely satisfied or very satisfied with their experience at independent bookstores. Independents not only out-ranked internet and chain bookstores, but their exceptionally high rating put them "on a par with the highest-rated stores from any Consumer Reports survey in recent years."

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on Oct 23, 2001

How Boulder Businesses are Staying Ahead of the Chains

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/how-boulder-businesses-are-staying-ahead-chains/

IF YOU VISIT BOULDER, COLORADO, you can’t miss it. It’s displayed on the door or window of nearly every locally owned business in town: the Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery on Pearl Street, Heritage Bank on 9th, Albums on the Hill. Stop for coffee at Sidney’s Cafe and it’ll be on the side of your cup. At the Boulder Book Store and you’ll find it on the complimentary bookmarks. Open up the Boulder Weekly and you’ll see it in an advertisement for local video and music stores.

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by admin | 1 Comment | Updated on Oct 1, 2001

Thousands Camp In Big Box Parking Lots

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/thousands-camp-big-box-parking-lots/

Wal-Mart has become one of the nation’s largest campground operators. Every night thousands of recreational vehicles (RVs) set-up camp in Wal-Mart parking lots. The practice, which first began in the late 1980s, has grown rapidly in recent years. In places like Durango, Colorado and Anchorage, Alaska, Wal-Mart parking lots are jammed full of RVs night after night.

Parking overnight at Wal-Mart is free, so campers save the $20 to $35 fee charged by traditional campgrounds.

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Oct 1, 2001

Sales Tax Fairness Update

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

Efforts to apply sales taxes equally to both bricks-and-mortar and online retailers have made substantial progress since our last update (see January 2002 issue), yet it is likely to be several more years before a level playing field becomes a reality.

The Supreme Court has ruled that states cannot compel out-of-state companies, including internet and catalogue retailers, to collect state and local sales taxes.

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Oct 1, 2001

Wal-Mart Settles Predatory Pricing Charge

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/walmart-settles-predatory-pricing-charge/

Wal-Mart admits no wrongdoing and will not pay a fine in a settlement reached with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection over a predatory pricing complaint filed by the agency last year. The company will, however, face double or triple fines for any future violations, according to the terms of the agreement.

The complaint accused Wal-Mart of selling butter, milk, laundry detergent, and other staple goods below cost at stores in Beloit, Oshkosh, Racine, Tomah, and West Bend.

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Oct 1, 2001

State Of Maryland Intervenes In Local Big Box Fight

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/state-maryland-intervenes-local-big-box-fight/

As part of Governor Parris Glendening’s smart growth agenda, the Maryland Department of Planning has decided to assist Kent County in its nine year battle to block a Wal-Mart store.

Under a rarely employed 1974 law, the state has the authority to participate in local land use proceedings. Earlier this year, Gov. Glendening announced that his administration would revive the law to address development that has smart growth implications.

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Oct 1, 2001

New Orleans Landmark Saved, But Wal-Mart Still Not Welcome

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/new-orleans-landmark-saved-walmart-still-not-welcome/

Fierce opposition from preservation and community groups has saved the last cotton press complex in the city of New Orleans from becoming a Wal-Mart parking lot. Now, building on this success, the groups hope to keep the proposed store out altogether.

In July, the ironically named Historic Restoration Inc. (HRI) revealed plans to redevelop a 65-acre site along Tchoupitoulas Street in the heart of New Orleans. The proposal includes 1100 units of housing and a 203,000 square foot Wal-Mart supercenter.

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on Oct 1, 2001

Coconino County, Arizona Caps Store Size

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/coconino-county-arizona-caps-store-size/

In August 2001, the Coconino County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed an ordinance barring the construction of stores larger than 70,000 square feet and requiring those over 25,000 square feet to obtain a conditional use permit. The ordinance will apply to all land in the county that lies outside of municipal boundaries. Coconino County is located in northern Arizona and includes the city of Flagstaff.

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Article filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on Oct 1, 2001

Agoura Hills Residents Push Big Box Referendum

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/agoura-hills-residents-push-big-box-referendum/

Hoping to protect their community’s semi-rural landscape and lifestyle, a group of residents and small business owners in Agoura Hills, California are pushing for a ballot initiative that would ban retail stores larger than 60,000 square feet. Agoura Hills is a town of 20,000 people located about 35 miles north of Los Angeles.

Citizens for Responsible Development (CRD) began organizing earlier this year after a developer proposed building a 255,000 square foot retail complex south of Highway 101.

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