The Shops at Willow Bend in Plano is set to be torn down and replaced with a new Dallas Stars hockey arena. The City of Plano calls the new district "The Bend." But the small, local businesses that stayed open after the big retailers left are being pushed out first, and there is no public promise that they will get a spot in what comes next.

Most stores at Willow Bend have already closed. Collector's Edition, a local game store that still draws customers, must leave by the end of this year. Its owner, Jeremy, hopes to land a space in The Bend. "If you move too far, your local game store becomes just a game store," he told Spectrum News.

Demolition is planned for 2027, and the arena is not expected to open until 2031. That is years of uncertainty for small owners who have built a customer base in Plano and cannot afford to start over somewhere far away.

The Plano City Council and the Dallas Stars have the power to fix this. They should set aside affordable space in The Bend for current Willow Bend tenants, give those businesses the first chance to return, and provide real help with moving costs while the new district is built.

A new arena can bring jobs, visitors and energy to Plano. It should not wipe out the local shops that give the area its character.

Sign the petition to tell the Plano City Council and the Dallas Stars to guarantee Willow Bend's small businesses a home in The Bend, before the first tenants are forced out at the end of the year.