The law is one of the few efforts in the country to impose such workplace rules on the warehouse-style stores.

Unions tend to dislike big-box retailers because many of them use nonunion employees, and small retailers often fear the competition from warehouse-style stores.

Toys "R" Us, confronted with declining sales, spent more than $600,000 each to renovate its warehouse-style stores into cozier spaces.

Home Depot, featuring hardware, decorating and building supplies at low cost in warehouse-style stores, has proved popular nationally.

Instead of using showrooms to display furniture, American Freight uses warehouse-style stores.

Recent retailing trends have led to the development of warehouse-style retail stores.

In the 1960s Levitz successfully pioneered selling moderately-priced brand name furniture from a warehouse-style store.

Harry's, which runs warehouse-style stores that specialize in perishable foods, went public May 20 at $17 a share.

"And I certainly don't want a warehouse-style store without much customer service."

They envisioned a warehouse-style store for office products where customers could purchase items in bulk for discounted prices.