TSnews

CHENEY – The local grocery store in Cheney, SPK Grocery, is up for sale.

The news of the store being for sale started to spread Monday as people noticed “Business For Sale” painted on the front windows and on an entry door.

Owner Pat Schrant says the store will close at the end of the year if a buyer is not found.

Schrant and his late wife purchased the store in the summer of 2019. Several factors have played into the decision, including family factors and the need for more local support. He said a town the size of Cheney should be able to support a local grocery store.

“It’s a tough decision,” Schrant said.

He said he has not been as active in the business over the past year as he focused on his family. He believes there is a future for a locally-owned store, but the store needs somebody who has more time and energy to devote to the store.

“I think if somebody from here bought it, it can be a viable store,” he said.

Schrant will continue to own and operate his store in Harper.

Cheney city administrator Danielle Young said keeping a grocery store is important for a small community.

“A grocery store serves several roles in a community. It provides jobs, access to fresh foods, and a community hub where people can go for community social interactions. Without a grocery store, we are missing a vital part of our community,” she said.

Before SPK, the store was known as Jim’s Foodliner and then Jim’s Apple Market, and was operated by the McGuffey family for more than three decades. Prior to that, the store was Dewey’s IGA.

Anybody interested in purchasing the store can contact owner Pat Schrant at 620-845-0928.

In addition to SPK, locally-owned grocery stores in the TSnews coverage area include Mize’s Thriftway in Clearwater, Hired Man’s Grocery and Grill in Conway Springs, and Leeker’s Family Foods in Haysville. Leeker’s bought back its original Haysville store in early 2024, bringing the store back to local ownership after roughly two decades as a corporate-owned grocery store.