Oakland Bans Wal Mart Supercenters

[David Gold]

Bunch of Socialists try to halt progress. This hurts the consumer of Oakland. Will drive them out of Oakland. The Wal Mart Supercenters are incredible. There was a story last week that showed their prices were 14% lower than competing firms. AP

Oakland, California Bans Wal-Mart Supercenters

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.