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Store Wars: When Wal-Mart Comes to Town
Arthur Stamoulis
Store Wars:
When Wal-Mart Comes to Town
Produced by Micha Z. Peled
Teddy Bear Films, 2001
Quality of life is something that more and more environmentalists
are beginning to focus on — particularly conservationists and
city planners. Having trees line your street and a park nearby can
really increase your neighborhood's sense of welcome and tranquility.
Being able to walk or ride your bike to work — or at least for
simple errands — is a heck of a lot nicer than having to sit
in rush-hour traffic. And many people are choosing to live in particular
places simply for these reasons. 
But what happens when one of those "big box" retail outlets wants
to come to town, threatening to alter the flavor and feel of a local
community? That's the exact topic covered in Store Wars,
an hour-long documentary detailing the heated debate that took place
when Wal-Mart decided to build a store in the town of Ashland, VA,
population 7,200.
The idea of a Wal-Mart coming to town appealed to some residents. People in favor of the store mentioned the promise of lower prices, job opportunities and one-stop-shopping convenience.
But a majority of citizens opposed the new outlet. Over 2,000 residents signed a petition asking that construction of the store not be permitted. And at zoning board and town council meetings Wal-Mart proponents were outnumbered by opponents by at least 20 to one.
The reasons people gave for opposing the new "big box" were varied,
but a number of comments kept popping up. Many people were opposed
to sprawl — that scattered, creeping development that eats away
at natural areas. People also feared an increase in traffic and congestion,
arguing the Wal-Mart was unnecessary anyhow given that there was another
just 10 minutes away. Some worried that Main Street's family businesses
would have a difficult time competing with the mega-store, and that
their bankruptcy would alter the look, feel and sense of camaraderie
built up in the area. All-and-all, Wal-Mart opponents feared that
the new outlet would mark the beginning of the end of Ashland's small-town
character.
Despite becoming fairly-well organized, being very vocal, and winning some initial zoning victories against the proposed Wal-Mart, in the end, the will of local citizens could not compete with the will of the largest retail chain in the world. A lame duck town council voted to approve the new store, despite the huge number of Ashland residents against it. Apparently, council members were taken in by the Wal-Mart lobbyists, promotional videos, television commercials and full-page newspaper ads, which promised the town wealth and prosperity beyond its wildest dreams.
Store Wars serves not only as a form of advocacy around quality-of-life
city planning. It serves as a call for greater democracy — a
need for citizens to have more control over how their communities
will be developed for the future.
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