Bronzeville Dollar Tree denied food license by Common Council



BRONZEVILLE (WITI) -- Residents in Milwaukee's Bronzeville neighborhood were taken by surprise when a Dollar Tree was put in at Martin Luther King Dr. and North Ave., where a supermarket had planned to open.

Some neighbors felt they'd been lied to or even cheated, and controversy arose after the Milwaukee Common Council denied the Dollar Tree store a food license on Tuesday, July 2nd.

Alderwoman Milele Coggs called the ruling a victory for neighbors who have been opposed to the Dollar Tree, saying the story would have had a detrimental impact on the area.

Resident Tyra Michaeux was looking forward to the opening of Dollar Tree and was outraged after hearing the store was denied a food license.

"Y'all know we need that Dollar Tree," says Michaeux. "I ain't got time for no grocery store. It costs too much."

Leroy Springer, who lives and works in the area, wonders what the future will hold for the store.

"We could've used a Dollar Tree or a grocery store," says Springer. "It just looks bad for the city, also, to just have all these vacant buildings and nothing to do with them. Nobody is doing anything with them."

The store is fully stocked but whether or not it will open without the food license is unclear at this time.

FOX6 News reached out to the owner of the Dollar Tree but were told he wasn't available.