Stacy Mitchell

1 May 2001

Starbucks Not Welcome In Ocean Beach

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

More than 300 residents turned out for a Town Council meeting last month in Ocean Beach, California to voice their opposition to Starbucks. The chain plans to open a store on Newport Avenue, one of the main drags running through this town of 15,000 just north of San Diego. "There has never been a chain store on this street," noted Dawna Perkins, a member of the Town Planning Board. Ocean Beach is home to numerous locally owned businesses, including eleven coffee shops. … Read More

1 May 2001

Glendale Voters Reject Supercenter

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

On May 15, the citizens of Glendale, Arizona voted to uphold city zoning rules that will prevent Wal-Mart from building a 220,000 square foot, 24-hour supercenter. Nearly 60 percent of voters favored maintaining the zoning and keeping Wal-Mart out. In 1999, the City Council rezoned a 39 acre site from agricultural to commercial in order to allow construction of a shopping center. City officials and nearby residents were led to believe that the center would house small, neighborhood-serving shops in a pedestrian-oriented design.… Read More

1 May 2001

Chain Store Complex Defeated In Petoskey

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

The last issue of this Bulletin reported on a grassroots effort in Petoskey, Michigan to stop a 400,000 square foot chain retail development in a neighboring township. In April, to the thunderous applause of a packed town hall, the Bear Creek Township Board voted 3-2 to deny the developer’s request to rezone the land from residential and farm-forest to commercial, effectively nixing the big box project. … Read More

1 May 2001

Belfast, Maine Voters Weigh Size Cap

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

Sprawl-Busters NewsFlash reports that citizens of Belfast, Maine will vote on whether to limit the size of new retail stores on June 12. The referendum is non-binding, but will provide a guide for the City Council. A temporary moratorium on retail development over 50,000 square feet (slightly larger than a football field) has been in place since last summer. The moratorium was enacted in response to Wal-Mart’s effort to build a supercenter on the edge of town.… Read More

1 May 2001

Halting Predatory Gas Pricing

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

Last month, Ed Trudeau, co-owner of the Vista Gas Station in Burlington, Wisconsin, drove an 8,500 gallon tanker truck to a competing Citgo Station for a fill-up. Although he managed to pump only 343 gallons before employees cut the flow, Trudeau made his point. The Citgo had been selling gas below cost, a violation of Wisconsin state law. … Read More

1 Mar 2001

Madison Residents Say No To Walgreens, Push Alternatives

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

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

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

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.

1 Mar 2001

Petoskey’s Local Businesses Fight Massive Retail Development

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

Located on Lake Michigan, the small town of Petoskey in northern Michigan draws thousands of visitors every year. They come for the spectacular scenery and for an opportunity to experience what many communities have long since lost: a vibrant downtown. Renowned for its distinctive character and century-old buildings, downtown Petoskey is more than a quaint destination for tourists. Its a place that serves the everyday needs of residents. … Read More

1 Mar 2001

In Boulder, Buying Local Pays

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

Residents of Boulder, Col. no longer have to choose between supporting a locally owned retailer and shopping elsewhere for a better deal. For $15—less than the price of membership at one warehouse buying club—they can purchase a Community Benefit Card from the Boulder Independent Business Alliance (BIBA). The card provides discounts and other benefits at more than 60 local businesses, with most knocking 10 percent off every product and service they offer. … Read More

Author Archives: Stacy Mitchell