People who live in the Russellton neighborhood of West Deer will soon need to travel miles away to pick up groceries. More than 50 years after opening off Little Deer Creek Valley Road, the local Shop 'n Save is preparing to close at the end of February.

On Friday morning, Robert and Sherry Prill of West Deer were making one of their last trips to the local market they've been going to for five decades, multiple times a week. 

It's a place where of their daughters even worked in one of their first jobs.

"We got to know all the people you know, we saw them grow up. I mean, you know, grow up to retirement," Robert said.

It was just the other day, they and other longtime customers like Carl Bechtold of Russellton learned the news that the landmark spot is shutting its doors.

"It's just like a staple in the community that it's going to be sorely missed," Bechtold said.

The grocery has remained a family business from the very start, opened by Liz Beter's father-in-law in a different part of Russellton before moving to its current location, a few years later, in 1975.

She and her husband, Tom, have been running it since 2000, and in recent years, they have been facing more challenges.

"It's just a change in the whole industry, I think, and I think small businesses are struggling because of that," Liz said. "You compete against the big boys, and it's a difficult thing to do."

Liz said it wasn't a decision they wanted to make, and that they pursued various avenues to keep the place running to no avail.

"We're just not getting the business. We need to keep it a viable business," Liz said.

She acknowledges the difficulties it will cause her aging customer base and the many who walk or bike to the store. However, she'll remain involved in the property, as the landlord of the plaza, hoping to replace the space with another grocery.

"We appreciate all of the loyal customers that we've had over these years, and we hope to continue to find some work, to find something, to continue to serve them," Liz said. 

It's the same hope for the Prills, so they can keep their same routine in the years to come.

"I hope something else moves in or something else opens up close," Robert said.

Liz told me that through the sell down sale, they plan to keep stock of fresh basics until the last day.