Progress Illinois

Citing "people familiar with Wal-Mart's plans," the Tribune reports today that the retail giant has abandoned its longstanding project of opening up outlets in Chicago. The news comes after efforts by the chain to break into the Chicago market were consistently opposed by a coalition of community and labor groups demanding that these mega-retailers pay their workers a living wage.

Most recently Wal-Mart and its political supporters considered opening a store on the city's South Sitde. That idea appears to have been shelved as well, though new outlets may still pop up outside of the city, according to the Tribune:

Now the world's largest retailer is turning its attention to a backup plan of opening stores just outside city limits, banking that thousands of low-to-middle-income city dwellers will travel to collar suburbs to shop at the discount store. Among the suburbs Wal-Mart is looking at are Calumet Park, Cicero and McCook,

Wal-Mart has had little luck finding political support in the City Council now that Chicago has its eyes on hosting the 2016 Oympics. After all, the last thing Mayor Daley wants is another contentious big-box debate making national headlines.

For more on the Living Wage Coalition and its ongoing fight to ensure decent wages and benefits for big-box employees, see Amisha Patel's column from March.