EAU CLAIRE — More than two months after losing its only grocery store, those who work and live in the borough are finding it more challenging to shop for food.

“That was a nice store,” said resident Tom Costa. “A lot of people miss the store.”

The store, Delisio’s Market, was destroyed by a fire April 17, leaving the community without its own food store.

The fire broke out shortly after 9 p.m. at the store at the corner of West Main and South Washington streets. It took more than 100 firefighters from 20 departments more than four hours to extinguish the flames.

The market, which had been in the borough for more than 100 years, is owned by Tim and Patty Delisio. They did not return a call for comment.

Gus Thompson, who owned the store with his wife for 30 years before recently selling it to the Delisios, said a cause of the fire never was determined, and the damage is estimated at $700,000 to $800,000.

Without the market, the nearest grocery store is in Emlenton, Thompson said. However, construction has left a portion of Route 38 closed for the past couple years and it is not expected to be reopened until 2015.

Because of this, Thompson said people have had to take a long detour to get to Emlenton.

Delisio’s Market was an old-fashioned market. Thompson said he can recall about eight elderly people to whom the store delivered groceries.

“They would call their order in,” Thompson said.

In some cases, employees would pick up older residents and take them to the market to shop.

He said the store’s closure has made it difficult for people in the area.

“You can’t even get a quart of milk,” Thompson said.

He is not sure if the Delisios will rebuild the store, which he said had about eight employees.

Costa, who has lived in the area for several decades, said he and his wife would end up going to the store to buy smaller items, but usually would drive into Butler for most of their shopping needs.

Jack Buzard, borough council president, said that stores in Harrisville are 10 miles to the west, stores in Parker are 7 miles east and Slater’s Meat’s and More is 8 miles south.

“It’s a tremendous inconvenience,” Buzard said of not have a market in the borough.

The store originally was owned by J.M. Beatty, and the family owned it for decades before selling it to Thompson.

In addition to the market being gone, Buzard said the original J.M. Beatty Auto Sales now is a different business and J.M. Beatty Furniture has moved several miles south of the borough.

“At this point now, the original J.M. Beatty entrepreneurship is totally history,” Buzard said.

Chelsey Wolfe of Eau Claire said she or other members of her family would go to Delisio’s Market nearly every day.

One option for shopping is the Trader Horn store several miles south on Route 38, but Wolfe noted that its selection of food is limited. Sometimes they go to Parker. Emlenton also is an option, but Wolfe too noted the construction.

“With the hillside closed, it’s hard to go,” Wolfe said.

She said that they sometimes end up going to Butler to shop. She said she is not optimistic about the prospect of Delisio’s Market reopening.

Gary Bowser, owner of Automotive Excellence right next to where the store was, said he and his employees would use the store regularly.

“We always went over for lunch,” Bowser said. “Yeah, it is missed.”

He said he and employees would stop at the store on the way home from work to pick up items such as milk and bread. He joked that everyone has lost a couple pounds because they no longer can run over to get a candy bar during the day.

Bowser said he also has seen a decrease in traffic in the borough.

“You don’t really realize how much you use it until it’s gone,” Bowser said.