MOUNTAINBURG (KFSM) -- For 62 years, Bassham's grocery has been the main source of food for the communities of Mountainburg and Chester. People like Deen Gattis have shopped there for years.
"Whenever we buy meat, we buy a lot of it here at Bassham's because they cut their own meat, and it's reasonably priced,” Gattis said.
But soon, groceries won't be sold here. Owner Joyce Bassham declined to speak on camera but said she retired this year after being a teacher for 42 years at Mountainburg Elementary School.
There is one thing that will be missed aside from store's deli and milk.
"We always appreciated they had what we call ‘Banana Tuesday,’” Gattis said. “Every Tuesday bananas were 25 cents a pound here."
Harry and Lois Bassham opened the store in 1952. In 1975, their son Terry and his wife Joyce bought the store. Terry recently died.
"They're sort of a fixture in the community,” Gattis said. “Kind of breaks everybody's heart to think that we're losing them. But I guess everything changes. But that sort of leaves us without a grocery and gas is awfully expensive to drive all the way to Alma for your basic groceries.”
Bassham said she is closing the store to spend more time with her grandchildren. The store on highway 71 will close its doors for the last time on New Year’s Eve.