1 Mar 2001

Coronado, Cal. Ordinance Curbs “Formula” Retail

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In December, the city of Coronado, Cal. adopted an ordinance restricting the proliferation of formula retail businesses. The ordinance notes that the unregulated addition of such businesses would frustrate the city’s goal of maintaining a unique and diverse retail base, and limit opportunities for small, local retailers.

Formula retail businesses are defined as those "required by contractual or other arrangement to maintain any of the following: standardized. … Read More
1 Mar 2001

Madison Residents Say No To Walgreens, Push Alternatives

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Residents of a Madison neighborhood were shocked to learn in early December that a 20-year-old local grocery store would be closing its doors. Ken Kopp, owner of Ken Kopp’s Fine Foods on Monroe Street, one of the last independent grocery stores in the city, announced he was retiring. Unable to find a buyer for the grocery business, Kopp planned to sell the property to a developer who intended to build a 14,000 square foot drive-through Walgreens.… Read More
1 Mar 2001

Ikea Backs Out Of New Rochelle

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In the last issue of this Bulletin, we reported on a massive citizen effort in New Rochelle, New York to block a 300,000 square foot Ikea furniture superstore. In late January, Ikea and the city jointly announced that they would drop the project.

Although the press release issued by Mayor Tim Idoni, who strongly favored the chain, focused on certain unresolvable traffic issues, opponents contend that the organized and sustained citizen opposition ultimately led to the project’s demise.

… Read More
8 Jan 2001

When a Giant Retailer Moves On, It Leaves its ‘Big Box’ Behind

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Most people are familiar with the damage Wal-Mart, Target and other"big box" retailers have done to local economies. Across the country, these giant stores have gutted downtowns and decimated locally owned businesses.

Now the national chains are dealing communities a second blow. They are vacating their existing stores, sometimes to build bigger outlets, sometimes just closing up shop, in both cases leaving huge empty shells and acres of asphalt behind.

… Read More
8 Jan 2001

When a Giant Retailer Moves on, It Leaves its ‘Big Box’ Behind

by | Date: 8 Jan 2001 | posted in: Retail | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Most people are familiar with the damage Wal-Mart, Target and other "big box" retailers have done to local economies. Across the country, these giant stores have gutted downtowns and decimated locally owned businesses. Now the national chains are dealing communities a second blow. They are vacating their existing stores, sometimes to build bigger outlets, sometimes just closing up shop, in both cases leaving huge empty shells and acres of asphalt behind. … Read More
1 Jan 2001

Ireland Bans Superstores

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The Irish government has made permanent a temporary cap on the size of retail stores in effect since 1998. The new law restricts stores in the Dublin area to 3,500 square meters (38,000 sq. ft.) and applies a 3,000 square meter (32,000 sq. ft.) limit to the rest of the country. The policy also requires that new retail stores be located in town centers. … Read More
1 Jan 2001

New Rochelle Residents Turn Out In Force To Block Ikea

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At a hearing held in mid-November, residents of New Rochelle, New York were finally given an opportunity to comment on a proposed 308,000 square foot Ikea furniture store. They gave city officials an earful. More than 400 people packed City Hall, while hundreds more stood outside. So many wished to testify that the city was forced to extend the hearings over five nights, taking 18 hours of testimony from more than 200 residents. All but a handful opposed the project. … Read More
1 Jan 2001

Pittsburgh Redevelopment Plan Dropped

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Small business owners and neighborhood activists were elated in November when Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy decided to drop his controversial downtown redevelopment plan. The $522 million project involved demolishing 60 historic buildings and condemning 120 mostly locally owned businesses. In their place, Murphy sought to build a massive retail complex, anchored by a Nordstrom department store and several dozen national chains. … Read More

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