EVANS CITY — The doors are locked, the lights are off and the owners are gone.

In Butler County, this has become an ever-familiar fate for small grocery stores. Mars, Chicora and Saxonburg are just three examples of towns without a full-service grocery — and on Saturday, Evans City will join them.

With Viola's Market closing its doors after 55 years, Evans City residents have one less option to shop for groceries.

“It's just so convenient to come down here,” said resident Jeanna Graham. “They have really good produce and meats. It's really sad for the town.”

Graham said she will start doing her grocery shopping in Cranberry Township, and others will have to go there as well, or to Butler or Zelienople, where the Butler Area Rural Transit takes senior citizens twice a month.

Without a grocery store, residents and businesses hope to fill Viola's shoes and might look to Mars, which lost its supermarket in February, for guidance.

Mars Mayor Gregg Hartung said losing the Mars Supermarket had a “somewhat significant” impact, but noted that neighbors and families help anyone who finds it hard to get to a supermarket.

Evans City Borough Council President Lee Dyer said he expects the borough to do the same, with churches, a food cupboard, BART and neighbors there to ensure the community stays well-fed.

“I think what will happen in Evans City will be (that) the community will help those in need, just as we've always done,” he said.

While not a supermarket, convenience stores in both towns sell bread and milk, giving residents an option to pick up something small without going to Cranberry or Butler.

Despite the convenience of those stores, residents will miss the ease of walking to a corner grocer, buying locally-sourced foods or shopping where “everybody knows you by name” as the Viola's website boasts.

One benefit of Viola's, Dyer says, is its community feel with chain amenities.

“It's larger than a mom and pop operation, but smaller than a (chain store),” he added.

That community feel extends to selling locally-sourced products. Community grocery stores like Viola's serve not only as a means to shop for food, but also as a vehicle for other local businesses — such as Marburger Farm Dairy — to sell their goods.

Inside Viola's is P & B's Sweets and Eats, a bakery and cafe that will be without a home until it finds a new location.

“It was a great fit,” said Pam Greenawalt, P & B's co-owner, of the cafe and bakery's two years in the market.

Greenawalt said she is seeking a new space to rent in Evans City, as the business has received support from the community, and she enjoys operating locally. For now, P & B's will place pop-up stands around the borough.

Although residents can purchase the local products, and P & B's might find another space, one large gap remains: a local grocery store. Dyer said he is “hopeful,” but realistic about the prospects of another grocer to serve Evans City. Mars could serve as an example of the difficulties of finding a business willing to set up shop in a smaller borough.

“Unless it's family-owned, it's really difficult to start a grocery store in a small town,” Hartung said.

Mars has had conversations with several grocery chains, according to Hartung, but none found it a profitable venture. Dyer agreed with Hartung's assessment, believing that chains are largely uninterested in small towns.

“I think, in this day and age, the mom and pops are being overshadowed by the big box stores,” he added.

While Viola's closure will have a heavy impact on the community, this shows its importance to Evans City.

“Mostly, I want to wish Frank (Viola) luck,” resident Ray Collins said. “He's worked hard all his life. He deserves it.”