Oakland has become the latest California community to ban Wal-Mart "Supercenters" that sell discount groceries alongside other bargain goods.

The Oakland City Council voted 7-1 Tuesday night to approve a measure to limit the size of "big-box" grocery stores allowed in the city. The ordinance bars discount retail stores with full-service supermarkets that exceed 100,000 square feet, or about 2.5 acres.

The measure targets Wal-Mart Supercenters -- gigantic shopping centers that average 187,000 square feet, about twice the size of the typical Wal-Mart store.

Since introducing the concept in 1998, the Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer has opened 1,258 Supercenters in 43 states -- but none in California. However, that state figures in Wal-Mart's continuing expansion plans.

Starting next year, Wal-Mart plans to open 40 Supercenters in California over the next four years.


Y'know, good for Oakland, right? I mean, seriously, good for them to see the wrongness of allowing businesses that are specifically geared to crush their competitors. Specifically geared to crush, 'cause they target small organizations, mom & pop stores and similar. Bullshit and bullshit. I didn't shed many tears when Wal-Mart took down K-Mart, but man, I was ready to start flinging molotovs when they ran half the indie shops on Main Ave. in Norwalk out of biz. Free enterprise is one thing, but Wal-Mart's playing for blood. Which is to say, DON'T FUCKING SHOP AT WAL-MART, GODDAMMIT.

Thank you.

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