Retail

1 Oct 2001

Mamaroneck Zoning Law Survives Court Challenge

by Stacy Mitchell | Date: 1 Oct 2001 | posted in: Retail | 0

A New York court has let stand a local law enacted by the town of Mamaroneck governing development outside its borders. Under the law, large-scale developments that abut, adjoin, or are adjacent to the Mamaroneck’s borders must undergo a comprehensive review and obtain a permit from the Town Board. The law covers residential projects of 250 or more homes, facilities of more than 100,000 square feet, and projects involving parking for more than 1,000 vehicles. … Read More

1 Oct 2001

Protecting Historic Buildings From Chain Drugstores

by Stacy Mitchell | Date: 1 Oct 2001 | posted in: Retail | 0

Several years ago the major drugstore chains—CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, and Eckerd—lost interest in strip malls and began to focus their expansion plans on prominent downtown intersections. As Walgreens CEO Daniel Jorndt told the New York Times, the chain’s preferred location these days is "the corner of Main and Main." Often, of course, these intersections are occupied by some of the community’s oldest and most significant buildings. … Read More

1 Oct 2001

Thousands Camp In Big Box Parking Lots

by Stacy Mitchell | Date: 1 Oct 2001 | posted in: Retail | 1

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.… Read More

1 Oct 2001

Sales Tax Fairness Update

by Stacy Mitchell | Date: 1 Oct 2001 | posted in: Retail | 0

Efforts to apply sales taxes equally to both bricks-and-mortar and online retailers have made substantial progress since our last update, 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. … Read More

1 Oct 2001

Wal-Mart Settles Predatory Pricing Charge

by Stacy Mitchell | Date: 1 Oct 2001 | posted in: Retail | 1

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. … Read More

1 Aug 2001

Independent Restaurant Alliances Multiply

by Stacy Mitchell | Date: 1 Aug 2001 | posted in: Retail | 0

Alex Pryor, owner of Zin Restaurant in Kansas City, has been watching in frustration as the city’s independent restaurants give way to national chains. Although the chains are often outmatched by the independents in terms of quality and service, their considerable resources enable them to gobble up prime locations and to buy market share through extensive advertising. Upscale chain restaurants have also grown increasingly clever at hiding their chain identity and appearing to be unique, locally owned businesses.… Read More

1 Aug 2001

Independent Pharmacies On The Rebound

by Stacy Mitchell | Date: 1 Aug 2001 | posted in: Retail | 0

After more than a decade of decline, independent pharmacies are beginning to make a comeback. Last year, 244 new independent pharmacies opened, according to the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA). By comparison, the top three pharmacy chains had a combined increase of 234 stores last year. Walgreens posted a net gain of 344 new stores, CVS was up 35 stores, and Rite Aid had a net loss of 145 stores. The increase in independent pharmacies is a sharp turnaround from the last decade. … Read More

1 Aug 2001

Hudson Valley Communities Fight CVS

by Stacy Mitchell | Date: 1 Aug 2001 | posted in: Retail | 2

A firestorm of protest has swept the Hudson River region of New York in response to CVS’s plans to open stores in nearly a dozen village centers. Having saturated strip malls and highways, chain drugstores in recent years have focused increasingly on Main Street locations. In the Hudson region, CVS has cut deals to lease sites formerly occupied by grocery stores in several village centers. Ten of the sites were Grand Union outlets, a regional grocery chain that recently filed for bankruptcy. … Read More

1 Aug 2001

Brooklyn Neighborhood Defeats Ikea

by Stacy Mitchell | Date: 1 Aug 2001 | posted in: Retail | 0

In June, the Swedish furniture chain Ikea dropped its proposal to build a 300,000 square foot store on 9-acre site in Brooklyn. The defeat is Ikea’s second in the New York region this year. In February, organized opposition from small business owners and residents forced Ikea to back out of plans to open a store in New Rochelle. The Brooklyn site is located near Gowanus Canal in a predominantly residential neighborhood. Once the location of a coal transfer station, the land is currently owned by the US Postal Service.… Read More