WAYNE, WV (WOWK) – The city of Wayne is losing its grocery store in less than 30 days and locals say they are very upset.

The reaction from shoppers Thursday afternoon was the same with many saying they do not want to lose their grocery store.

According to one of the owners, Tami Kilgore, they were given a 30-day notice on Saturday to remove anything related to the Save-A-Lot brand.

Regarding the reason for the notice, representatives of the Save-A-Lot company released this statement:

“Over the last few months, we have been working with the operator of the Wayne, West Virginia store to overcome identified operational challenges. Ultimately, we were unsuccessful and as a result, have terminated the license at this location.”

Kilgore says the store was opened in 1999 and has been family owned since then. Their goal is eventually to still have a grocery store with a different company name.

Locals say this is a convenient and affordable place that many in the area rely on for their grocery shopping needs.

“It’s been a lifesaver for us in this area. The only other grocery store we have is on down the road,” Wayne County resident Kathy Simpkins tells 13 News as she went into the store Thursday.

The owners released a statement saying, “Regretfully we are closing our doors, we love this community, but recent circumstances have led us to this point.”