Chicago Business Journal – A coalition of Chicago ministers is readying a campaign for more Wal-Mart stores in Chicago — and preparing another against aldermen who stand in the way.

The alliance of just over 200 ministers, representing more than 100,000 congregants, will first demand that Mayor Richard M. Daley grant administrative approval to begin construction of a Wal-Mart at the Chatham Market shopping center, saving that project from falling into foreclosure. The group also will pressure aldermen to approve that store and others in retail-starved neighborhoods such as Englewood and Pullman.

If, as appears likely, more Wal-Marts don’t get the green light this year, the ministers say they’ll mount a campaign against aldermen who oppose the big retailer’s expansion. Taking a page from union groups that have held Wal-Mart back, the ministers say they will support candidates in favor of the store with political advertising and urge their congregants to vote against dissenters.

“…First, the most important finding advanced by the [previous] Loyola report is that there is essentially no change in community jobs as a result of Wal-Mart opening and operating a store on Chicago’s West Side. We believe that this is an inaccurate finding based on the evidence provided…”

Click here to read the report (Adobe PDF, 600 KB)

Now that Mayor Daley’s Olympic dream has gone up in flames, a South Side alderman is turning up the heat for City Council approval of Chicago’s second Wal-Mart — and first supercenter that sells groceries.

Ald. Howard Brookins (21st) said Monday he intends to “hound” Finance Committee Chairman Edward M. Burke (14th) every day until Burke holds a hearing on an amended redevelopment agreement that would pave the way for a Wal-Mart supercenter at a former industrial site at 83rd and Stewart in Chatham.

Read more in the Chicago Sun-Times

Wal-Mart’s plans to build a second store in Chicago remain bottled up in the Chicago City Council. The store that Wal-Mart would like to build on the South Side at 83rd Street and Stewart Avenue, is going nowhere because the aldermen live in fear of organized labor and organized labor despises Wal-Mart.

We know organized labor wants to keep Wal-Mart from expanding in Chicago. But what do the aldermen’s constituents want?

The answer is clear: They want the opportunity to work or shop at Wal-Mart.

Read more in the Chicago Tribune

Large crowds of shoppers watching their pocketbooks are expected to continue to swarm the newest suburban Walmart Supercenter this weekend…

…The parking lot has been filled with shoppers wanting to check out the expanded Walmart featuring a larger grocery area, drive-through pharmacy window and eye care center.

“I don’t think this shopping center has seen this many cars in a very long time,” Roscop said.

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