Wal-Mart Big-Boxed Out of SD (San Diego)

[cascadiance]

The San Diego City Council just a while ago ruled to ban big-box retail and grocery store hybrids from setting up shop in city limits.

From Voice of San Diego:
http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/articles/2006/11/29/news/01bigbox.txt

Wal-Mart Big-Boxed Out of SD
By EVAN McLAUGHLIN Voice Staff Writer


Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2006 | Before a crowd that reached nearly 350 spectators at its apex, a cadre of residents, business owners, environmentalists and lobbyists pitched to the City Council the good and bad of Wal-Mart.

Critics took the time to castigate the world's largest retailer for generating traffic congestion and low-wage jobs while depleting neighborhoods of their mom-and-pop retailers. Supporters of the chain of discount stores called the company's low prices a boon for modest income-earners.

One man even said he owed his very decency to the retail giant.

"If it weren't for Wal-Mart, I'd be standing here naked," said Guy Preuss, a Paradise Hills resident who was clothed in a bargain-priced pair of shorts, a T-shirt and a tan vest. "I buy everything from Wal-Mart."

While Wal-Mart may have been able to provide Preuss with his wardrobe, the world's largest retail chain will be barred from vending such things as fresh fruit just aisles away from Apple iPods and Blackberry handheld communicators in the company's San Diego stores.

The City Council voted to ban controversial big-box, retail-and-grocery store hybrids such as Wal-Mart Supercenters from setting up shop within city limits after a four-hour hearing Tuesday. The ban's supporters cited concerns that allowing the behemoth stores to sell food products in addition to their normal wares creates a demand that congests the surrounding area with excessive traffic.

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http://www.cafepress.com/chinamart