Convenience, ice cream shop closing in Greenville

GREENVILLE, N.Y. (NEWS10)-- A convenience, deli and ice cream shop in Greenville has announced they will be closing at the end of the month. Greenville Eats announced its closure on Facebook last Thursday, after almost a year of business.

According to the announcement, the business has been struggling financially and are facing an increased price in materials.

"Despite our best efforts, the challenges of declining sales have made it impossible for us to continue," the owners said in a statement. "Between the rising costs of doing business and the reality of an unforgiving economy, nothing short of a miracle could turn things around."

The business opened in August 2024 by the Murphy family. The shop serves Krispy Krunchy Chicken, ice cream, salads, breakfast and a variety of candy and snack items.

The owners told NEWS10 over the past month, the store has struggled to break even four out of the five days they were open and feared upcoming price hikes would cause them to raise prices again.

"That’s not something we felt we could do. We’ve already heard we’re considered 'expensive but good,' and with so many people facing tighter budgets, raising prices would likely push more folks away," the family said.

The store was hoping to transition away from the Krispy Krunchy Chicken licensure to serve their own food, which the owners believed would increase their margins and helped them stay afloat, but unfortunately, were unable to do so.

According to the owners, one thing that was often misconstrued was Krispy Krunchy Chicken. The brand is often misunderstood for fast food, commonly found in convenience stores, but the chicken requires significant prep before it is fried, they said.

"It was often misunderstood as 'fast food' and that couldn’t be further from the truth," the owners said. "The chicken is delivered fresh—not frozen, not pre-breaded, and not partially cooked. It requires significant prep work before it’s ever hand-breaded and fried. We spent roughly an hour on each case of chicken and made many of our meals to order, so customers got hot, fresh food—not something that had been sitting in a warmer for hours."

The Murphy family also said another factor was their staff, many of which were students. The owners said they didn't want to wait until seasonal jobs were already filled before giving them the tough news of closing; "This timing gives them a chance to find new opportunities without being left in the lurch."

The Murphy family said they ran commercials, printed ads, were active on social media and even wore inflatable chicken costumes to keep business coming and welcome people in.

"We really tried, and we're heartbroken it wasn't enough," the family said. "Thank you for being a part of our story-- we couldn't have done it without you."

According to the owners, the last day of business will be Saturday, May 31. In the days leading up to its closure, Greenville Eats will be holding daily giveaways for its customers.

Starting Wednesday, the business began giving away items or discounts on items for the 50th, 75th and 100th customers.

"This journey has been filled with incredible memories, friendships, and support from our amazing community. We are deeply grateful to each and every one of you who walked through our doors, shared a meal and supported us along the way. Your kindness and loyalty have meant the world to us."

As for the future, the family has discussed reopening as a food truck, serving their own chicken, but are taking it one day at a time to get through the closing.

The store will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. until Saturday. For additional giveaway information or more information in its final week, visit the Greenville Eats Facebook page.