RIVER VALE, New Jersey (WABC) -- It's the end of an era in River Vale, New Jersey, where The Country Store, a community staple for decades, closed its doors for the final time Thursday afternoon.

For more than a century, The Country Store in River Vale has been a place where people have enjoyed sandwiches, candy, and maybe most of all, connection... until now.

"It's actually a nice day," said the store owner, Rick Marshall. "It's kind of refreshing to finally be moving on, but the people are making it difficult."

The current owners have been running the store for more than four decades, but now, rising costs are forcing them to close for good.

"Just the economy. Just no money in it anymore," Marshall said. "This building had propane for gas. Propane's $5 a gallon. Oil for heat, $5 a g

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