ANDERSON ISLAND, Wash. — The Anderson Island General Store closed this week after decades of operation, leaving the community without its only grocery store and gas station.
The store was considered a central hub for the island, providing residents with essential goods ranging from food to fuel.
Sofia Sabeti, a local real estate agent, described the business as the “heartbeat of the island.”
Residents are now facing the loss of daily necessities that were previously available without a ferry trip.
Tracy Hallock, whose family lives on the island, noted that the store provided a convenient option for residents who needed just a few items for a meal.
“It was great because if we were getting ready to make like one thing and only missing one or two things, we could run down here,” Hallock said.
She added that the store’s closure will likely change how residents shop due to the cost and travel involved in leaving the island for small purchases.
The closure also ended a meal delivery service that store employees provided to people living on the island.
Hallock confirmed that this resource is no longer available.
She noted that many individuals on Anderson Island counted on the store for these services.
The loss of the gas station creates specific logistical issues for property maintenance on the island.
Hallock explained that because residents are not allowed to bring gasoline across on the ferry, they will face difficulties fueling their equipment.
The owner announced the decision to close on Facebook, where she thanked the community for their support over the last three decades.
Although she spoke with KIRO 7 off-camera in the parking lot and expressed that the decision was difficult, community members said they understood the financial necessity of the move.
“It’s very hard for her. It’s very hard for us,” Sabeti said of the closure.
Sabeti noted that while the island is experiencing mixed emotions, there is a sense of collective grief.
“It’s really a mourning together because I know her heart [doesn’t want] to leave us high and dry,” Sabeti said.
Residents on Anderson Island are currently navigating the loss of the store’s services.
Sabeti said the community expects to find a way to manage the change together.
“We will come together and we will make it work somehow,” Sabeti said.
There will be a community meeting on Anderson Island on Thursday about the closure and where residents go from here.