About Al

Al Norman is the country’s foremost expert in the grassroots movement to save smalltown America from Wal-Mart. He achieved national attention in October of 1993 when he successfully stopped Wal-Mart from locating in his hometown of Greenfield, Massachusetts.

Since his well-publicized victory, Norman has traveled across the country to help wage site fights for other communities seeking to stop sprawl. In 1995, he appeared on 60 Minutes, where he was called “the guru of the anti-Wal-Mart movement” for his work to “preach the anti-Wal-Mart gospel.” His work has been featured in the PBS film “Store Wars,” the feature documentary "Talking to the WAL," and numerous newspapers and magazines.

A former columnist and book-reviewer for Newsweek magazine, Norman wrote about Sprawl-Busting ("Eight Ways to Stop the Store") in the Nation magazine in March of 1994. Al is the author of two books on the subject: The Case Against Wal-Mart (2004) and Slam-Dunking Wal-Mart! (2003).

Al Norman runs Sprawl Busters, an international clearinghouse on big box anti-sprawl information.

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