The locally owned southwest Bend grocery store, CE Lovejoy’s announced it is closing its store as of Feb. 28 after being in business for 15 years.

The management company that leases the space at the Brookswood Meadow Plaza is looking for a new grocery store tenant to fill the 14,000-square-foot space, said Robert Petrescu, vice president of Property Systems Inc., which manages the leasing of the center.

“CE Lovejoy’s was a beloved cornerstone of our community, providing essential services and a welcoming atmosphere,” Petrescu said. “We are committed to continuing this tradition and believe the neighborhood will greatly benefit from a new grocery partner.”

A typewritten notice on the doors of the store stated the owners had mixed emotions about closing the business that opened in 2009. The store general manager, Beverly Timm, said it was a difficult decision for the family to make. Timm’s daughter, Kristy Lovejoy, and her husband, Scott Lovejoy, owned the store. Scott Lovejoy died in 2019, Timm said.

“We built the store and enjoyed the community and the people,” Timm said. “With Scott’s passing, now is the time. We are working with the property managers to get the space filled.

“We’d love to see a grocery store there.”

What customers liked about the store in the neighborhood was how convenient it was to shop. During the pandemic, the store opened an hour earlier for senior citizens, said Ann Yost, who lives in southwest Bend for part of the year.

“I didn’t do big shops there,” Yost said. “Their prices were a bit higher than big chain stores, but they had good quality meat and produce and locally made Bend items.

“I’m really sorry to hear it’s closing. Kids in the neighborhood rode their bikes there. And I’d walk over their with my granddaughter to get a snack.”

Nicole Olson, who lives near the market, said her family is saddened to hear the store is closing.

“We shop there almost daily to pick up something we need,” Olson said. “The staff always remembers us and makes us feel like family.”

Another independent grocery store would be great for the community, Olson said.

The store employs 17 people and operates a full-service butcher counter. Prior to COVID-19, it operated a full-service deli as well. In the past, the owners would host beer gardens and bring in bands to play music out front.

“We did so many things,” Timm said. “We hosted a farmer’s market, the beer gardens. We paid for all of that for the community. Hopefully someone that comes in will see everything that we have done and carry it on.”

The Lovejoys developed the store with partners in the shopping center and sold it in 2022, Timm said.

Running a grocery store in today’s business climate can be challenging. Worker retention is challenging and costs keep rising. Shipping and freight are other challenges facing grocery stores in the region, said Cyrus Mooney, Bend business advocate.

“We are saddened to learn of the closure,” said Lauren Redman, CEO and president of Rudy’s Markets Inc. and Newport Avenue Market. “Independent grocery retailing has never been as difficult as today. We face great costs than big corporations, making it harder to compete. Coupled with a labor market that is difficult, we can understand our friend’s decision and wish their staff success in their job search.”