A national convenience store chain led to the demise of Haven’s only “mom and pop” grocery store, the owner of Haven Foodliner said.

Doug Nech and his wife, Cindy, purchased the longtime Haven grocery store back in 2012. On Tuesday, Nech told the Haven Economic Development Committee that sales dropped 35 percent to 40 percent since Dollar General opened up across town in February 2015. He plans to close up shop at the end of March.

“It just sucks money down to Goodlettsville, Tennessee, or wherever they are out of,” Nech said. “To me, if you are going to make it work, it’s got to be some kind of co-op.”

Nech suggested a cooperative that involves local stakeholders to run a community-owned grocery store. Nech said it worked in Minneola, a town with the population of roughly 700 people — Haven’s population is about 1,200.

The Hometown Market opened in 2012 thanks to $200,000 in renovations from 4,000 shares sold at $50 a piece. Nech said roughly 270 people make up the shareholders.

With some efficiency improvements and a vested interest in community stakeholders, Nech thought the Haven grocery store could be a success.

Randy Harder, a store patron, told the economic committee that Haven couldn’t afford to lose its grocery store. Nech joked about how he’s run to the store to open up so Harder’s daughter could get a diet Coke.

“As a community, we need to support the store,” Harder said.

Economic committee chair Rick Gates said he tried to contact at a division of Kansas State University that offers assistance with rural grocery stores. Gates said he would continue to contact KSU for advice about a possible cooperative. The economic committee agreed to post a survey on internet site SurveyMonkey to gauge community interest.

Nech said he’s already advised his nine employees of the March 31 closure. The shuttered grocery store will require Haven residents to travel to Hutchinson or Wichita for items not offered at the Dollar General.

The 4,500-square-foot building at 112 S. Kansas Ave. has been part of downtown since 1963.