Walmart

Shrinking labor unions are increasingly adopting a powerful strategy from which small retailers must learn to protect themselves.

CHICAGO - The West Side of Chicago is the Wal-Mart side of town, after the Chicago City Council yesterday approved the retailer's plan to build its first outlet in the Windy City. However, a proposal for a second store in the city's South Side fell one vote short of approval, and that plan was referred back to a council committee.

PARIS - Shares in French supermarket groups rose today after Wal-Mart, the world's biggest retailer, announced it wanted to open stores in every European country and would reach this goal through acquisitions and internal growth, Reuters reports.

WASHINGTON - The National Trust for Historic Preservation included the state of Vermont today in its annual list of most endangered historic places because of an "onslaught of big-box" stores by Wal-Mart, according to Reuters.

DETROIT - Organized labor in Michigan has begun a coordinated major campaign against Wal-Mart, which plans rapid growth in the state, The Detroit News reports.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Wal-Mart is tops with consumers when it comes to which store serves the needs of the community best, say 28.9 percent of more than 7,000 shoppers surveyed, while 5.3 percent believe Target does the most in that regard, according to the just released May Consumer Intentions and Actions survey from BIGresearch.

Industry executives turn to compact continuing education programs for new insights and opportunities.

In the aftermath of Fleming's implosion, a new order of wholesaling has arisen for large national retailers and regional players and co-ops alike.