Dollar Tree planned for wealthy Michigan city sparks controversy

The planned introduction of a Dollar Tree in a wealthy Michigan city has divided the residents, according to a new report.

A Dollar Tree store will be built in Birmingham, an affluent city north of Detroit, but some residents fear the store will invite criminal activity and will reflect poorly on the financial state of the city, according to Fox 2.

A group of concerned residents began a Change.org petition to voice their opposition to the new store. As of Wednesday night, the Change.org petition had more than 500 signatures.

The petition argues that opening a Dollar Tree in the city “threatens to disrupt this balance and could have far-reaching implications for the safety and well-being of our residents.”

It further claimed that “the presence of a dollar tree in such close proximity [to schools] raises concerns due to the well-documented correlation between dollar stores and increased crime rates.”

One signatory, using the name Edward, argued that there must be better retail options for the city than the Dollar Tree.

"Infinitely better uses for the space ... I'm a former retail marketing consultant and remain an avid retail watcher," he wrote. "There is no shortage of better suited retail options to fill the space. A dollar store is the lazy alternative."

Another signatory named Mark simply posted "#NoCheapStoresInBirmingham."

But Fox 2 reporters also spoke to other residents who said they didn't care if a Dollar Tree opened in the city.

A Dollar Tree representative told the broadcaster that the store in Birmingham would be clean and would be a job creator for the city. It also said that there is a market for its offerings even in affluent areas, pointing to data suggesting the low-cost retailer has seen a surge in customers who earn more than $100,000 per year as Americans try to make their money stretch.

Despite the concerns from some of the residents, there doesn't appear to be any consideration from the city's leaders to stop the project.