Stickers of credit companies and painted-on Foodland logos adorn the doors of the former grocery store at the intersection of Sussex Avenue and McNeilly Road in Baldwin Township.

Beyond the doors, the building is barren. Long stretches of dark, stripped floor left from removed shelves resemble dirty bowling lanes. Foodland remains empty after owner Jack Alosio closed it on Nov. 30.

"The cost of doing business was too expensive," Alosio said.

Now Aldi, a grocery store chain, expressed interest in either leasing the property or buying it outright, said property owner Bernadette Perri.

She said if Aldi buys the building, the company will possibly knock down the structure and rebuild. She expects to hear a definite decision from the company by next week.

Alosio attributed his store's closing to several factors -- rising utility costs, gas stations and drug stores offering the same products, among others. In the end, the volume of the store became too great to stock, Alosio said.

Alosio owned the Foodland for more than 20 years, building a following of loyal local customers.

The decision to close the store saddened Alosio, and came as a disappointment for local business owners and Baldwin Township residents.

"It's the anchor for this plaza," said Jim Weamer, manager of McNeilly Hardware.

Foodland was one of the largest companies in Baldwin Township, which contains just about 70 businesses.

Weamer said he noticed less traffic since the grocery store closed.

Getaway Cafe owner Lou Manolios said he also witnessed a slight decline in business.

Many residents, particularly older ones, must now choose grocery stores located on Sleepy Hollow or Banksville Road, or go over to Brentwood Towne Square.

Township manager Mary McGinley said without a bus route serving much of the area, residents will struggle to visit the other stores as often.

On the windows of the abandoned store, Alosio left a sign thanking his customers for their years of service and asking them to shop at the Beechview Foodland, which he also owns.

Foodland first fell on hard times shortly after construction began on the Route 88 entrance to McNeilly Road in 2004, Alosio said.

Sales dropped 25 to 30 percent and never recovered, despite Alosio's efforts to draw back customers with store promotions.

A deteriorating property -- leaky roofs, a pothole-filled parking lot -- made Alosio's efforts to maintain the store more difficult.

Alosio paid Perri for the Foodland property on a month-to-month basis for the past eight years. Perri said she and Alosio couldn't come to an agreement on a long-term lease.

Before paying month-to-month, Alosio held a 10-year lease, and assumed a lease for the initial few years of ownership.

Perri owns eight properties in Baldwin Township, though not all house functioning businesses.

Keith Kartman attempted to start a landscaping supply business on a Perri property along McNeilly Road in the fall of 2006, but never made it to opening day.

He and Perri disagreed over who was responsible for paying on a $10,000 county loan to do work on the property.

Kartman said the loan was the property owner's responsibility; Perri said Kartman should pay.

She later said she was willing to cover the loan if Kartman would accept an increase in his $1,200 monthly lease.

He stopped developing the property last fall.

Perri hopes for a better fortune with the empty Foodland property.

"We're gonna make it or break it very shortly," Perri said.