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Read the press release here.

Walmart Won't Open in East New York

By  Jill Colvin and Leslie Albrecht | September 14, 2012 7:42pm 

Walmart said it won't open in East New York.
Walmart said it won't open in East New York.
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Walmart

EAST NEW YORK — The world's biggest retailer won't be setting up shop in East New York.

Walmart announced Friday that it's not opening a store at the Gateway II shopping mall because "we were unable to agree upon economic terms," Wal-Mart said in a statement.

The mall will be anchored instead by a Shop-Rite grocery store, Crain's reported, putting an end to widespread fears that Walmart was eyeing the site as the first location of a large-scale expansion into the city.

For months Walmart and groups opposed to the controversial big-box retailer have waged a PR war, complete with fancy websites and large-scale demonstrations.

Walmart supporters, including the mayor, have argued that the city is losing business to Walmart locations out of state and that the city cannot regulate what stores open where.

Opponents contend that Walmart will push mom and pop stores out of business and cost the city jobs.

Walmart isn't giving up its quest for a New York site. "Walmart will continue to evaluate local opportunities across all five boroughs," the store said in a statement.