Ever since I started going to DeVries Grocery Store and Market, it has always provided the La Grange community and my family with an array of memories and spectacular service. Whether I went to DeVries to buy groceries on the weekends or snacks on the way back from school, the employees and owners always greeted me with a smile and a welcoming atmosphere.

Whenever a customer needed something, DeVries never failed to deliver. They daily sold terrific homemade meals. On Saturdays they would grill delicious burgers and hotdogs, on Tuesdays they would sell tasty tacos, and throughout the week they cooked some of the best homemade paninis.

“Devries has been a pillar in the La Grange community for the past 42 years,” said customer Max Abrahamson ’18. “I have been going to there for the past 10 years and they isn’t another store like it. The people working there were always just so helpful and nice.”

For many, the store was a historic landmark that sparked memories. As my three siblings and I grew up, it became the first place my mom would send us to get groceries. Perhaps the reason why so many customers and residents were emotional about their closing was because part of their past was physically fading. Soon after the store’s announcement of their closing my older brother, helped spread the news via a Facebook posting that received over 340 reactions and more than 110 shares. He began his post by emphasizing the importance of supporting local business. In addition, he wished the best for the DeVries family and employees.

Prior to its closing, customers and neighbors of DeVries gathered to take a picture with the employees and owners in front of the store on Oct. 6. I was overwhelmed by the display of support and emotion everyone shared. I overheard people swapping stories regarding how special DeVries was to them and this was a moment I would never forget.