Cronig’s Main Street Market, the 72-year-old grocery business in Vineyard Haven, will close its doors for the final time on Thursday, Oct. 26.

 

Despite the public outcry supporting the traditional market, the Cronig family will convert the building into three smaller retail shops before the 1990 summer season.

 

An agreement was signed Saturday between Carlyle Cronig, whose family owns the land and building, and John F. and John L. Schilling, the father and son who have owned and managed the business for the past six years.

 

“It is sad,” the younger Mr. Schilling told the Gazette this week. “I feel sad because of our attachment to the community. Our customers and our employees have been like an extended family. I’ve gone through my mental exercises with this and now it’s beginning to hit the employees and the community that we won’t be here any more.”

 

In a letter dated Aug. 2 to prospective tenants, Realtor Peter Cronig announced plans to divide the building into three shops. Peter Cronig’s grandfather, Samuel Cronig, opened the market on Main street in 1917 with his three brothers Edward, Theodore and Henry.

 

The Schillings had been trying unsuccessfully to negotiate a new lease with the Cronigs since March. The Cronig family gave the market the option to lease one of the three units.

 

“It’s just not practical for us,” Mr. Schilling said. The Schillings also turned down offers from other Tisbury property owners who offered to help the Schillings re-establish their business at other locations.

 

“We’ve received a tremendous amount of support,” Mr. Schilling said. “It is strictly a financial prob­lem.”

 

The Schillings also released a written statement, prepared with the Cronigs, explaining the situation and attrib­uting the closure in part to competition with the large supermarkets.

 

“Although we have tried, since 1984 to operate the business at a reasonable profit, due to changing conditions in the grocery business, we have found ourselves unable to compete with the larger stores,” the two Schilling men write. “The Schilling family would like the public to know that the Cronig family did not force us out of business and that we part with feelings of gratitude towards Carlyle Cronig for his good will. In that spirit, Carlyle Cronig and his immediate family have for­given a substantial debt owed to them by the Schilling family.”

 

The Schillings currently pay $2.49 per square foot in rent. Their lease expires Dec. 31. According to the letter from the real estate firm, current rent for commercial space on Main street is valued at $20 to $22 per square foot. Mr. Cronig said the space in the new plans will be rented for $15 to $20 per square foot.

 

The plan proposed by the Cronigs will create three shops, each with approximately 24 feet of Main street frontage and 1,400 square feet of space and two reserved parking spaces. Mr. Cronig said he hopes the renovations will be completed by mid-April.

 

Mr. Schilling said most of the store’s 10 full-time and four part-time employees have been offered jobs in other Island grocery stores.

 

“Personally we’re not sure what we’re going to do,” Mr. Schilling said. “Right now we’re concerned with running the store and getting things wrap­ped up.”

 

The Cronig family is still seeking year-round tenants who will provide a necessary service to the community, Carlyle Cronig told the Gazette.

 

“I hope that somebody will under­stand what the hell is going on,” Mr. Cronig said. “It is not a greedy thing on my part. It is just something I can­not handle anymore. The Schillings understand that. I’m a little bit unhappy with the bashing I’ve gotten over the past few months.”

 

The Main street market is one of the few that has continued the old-fash­ioned, personalized neighborhood grocery store tradition. At one time, there were six similar small grocery markets in Vineyard Haven and seven in Edgartown. Few remain.

 

The building that houses the market stands on land that was the lawn of the old Tashmoo Inn at the turn of the cen­tury. The four Cronig brothers opened the market in 1917. In 1946 brothers Robert and David Cronig came into the family grocery business, which they ran for 34 years. In 1976 the two brothers opened the new and larger Cronig’s State Road Market and sold it 10 years later.

 

Normal business at the Main street market ends today, Mr. Schilling said. On Monday, the store will open with greatly reduced prices to clear out inventory. The Schillings will also try to liquidate the store’s equipment — from shelving to cash registers and meat cutting and refrigeration equip­ment. The store will close for all offi­cial business on Oct. 26.

 

The following is a complete text of the statement signed by John F. and John L. Schilling and released this week. It was agreed to by both the Schillings and the Cronigs as part of the settlement agreement.

 

“On October 26, 1989, Cronig’s Main Street Market will close its doors forever. Much has been written and discussed about this, and we the Schil­ling family, would like to take this opportunity to clarify the situation.

 

“In 1984, when we purchased the grocery business, we had high hopes that it would be a profitable business. It should be made clear that the Cronig family was not then the owner of the business. David and Robert Cronig sold the business to others in 1980. Also it should be made clear that at no time did the family of Carlyle Cronig own the business.

 

“Although we have tried since 1984 to operate the business at a reasonable profit, due to changing conditions in the grocery business, we have found ourselves unable to compete with the larger stores. When our favorable lease expired, the Carlyle Cronig family offered us the opportunity to continue to rent, but in a smaller space as a con­venience store. After several months of serious consideration, the Schilling family decided it was not practical for them to accept this alternative.

 

“The Schilling family would like the public to know that the Cronig family did not force us out of business and that we part with feelings of gratitude toward Carlyle Cronig for his good will. In that spirit, Carlyle Cronig and his immediate family have forgiven a substantial debt owed to them by the Schilling family. This release of in­debtedness will allow us to begin our lives over again without a crushing burden of debt.

 

“There is no doubt that this closing will affect many lives. We can assure you that the relationships that we have developed over the years with the community will last with us forever. We will miss all of you who became a daily part of our lives. Your friendship has made these past six years most reward­ing.”