NILES, MI (WSBT) — After 77 years of serving the Michiana community, a local grocery store in Niles will close its doors in 2025. Shelton’s Farm Market made the announcement on social media Tuesday afternoon.
“My first thought was it sucks… honestly,” said Jacklyn Yeager, who lives nearby.
A common feeling among many as they finished shopping at Shelton’s Farm Market and learned of the impending closure.
The long-standing, family-owned grocery store served the community for more than seven decades on South 11th Street and will soon be just a memory.
The owner shares that Aldi Foods recently contacted him about replacing the current building with a brand new facility and promised to offer great food at great prices as well as new job opportunities.
“My mom always came here, so we bought almost everything here. It was kind of our Saturday morning shopping trip, and now that I live in Niles, it’s my daily shopping trip, it’s literally my local grocery store,” says Dominique Martin, who lives nearby.
Martin, a longtime loyal customer, says she loves how personal the local market is and that she’s getting to know the Sheltons over time.
She also expressed her gratitude to the employees who bring the groceries to the cars – a small gesture that she feels Aldi simply cannot provide.
“I can’t say they don’t source their produce and stuff locally, but you know that’s what you’re getting at Shelton, and I know the meat at Shelton is high quality. Our closest option is about 15 to 20 minutes away,” Martin said.
The market owners are optimistic about the possibility of continuing their legacy and finding a new location, but at this point it is still uncertain what will happen next with Shelton’s.
Meanwhile, customers say, there is no longer any comparison to the established market.
“I mean, you go to Walmart and buy what we just bought for, what, $70? You’d easily pay $120-130,” says Nathan Buskirk, who lives nearby.
Buskirk says he has been going to the market for over 30 years. He and Jacklyn Yeager say Shelton’s is hard to beat.
“There’s no comparison. I’ve been to a lot of Aldis and it would never occur to me to compare them to Shelton’s. It would just suck to have to drive somewhere else and find a better butcher that we like,” said Buskirk.
The owners of the Shelton Farm Market say they will continue to offer the public the freshest offerings during the remainder of their opening hours, with the last day yet to be announced.
