FOREST PARK, Ill. (WLS) — A suburban grocery store is asking for help to stay in the community. They say between the tariffs and the economic downturn, they’re not sure how much longer they can keep their doors open.

“It’s wonderful; it’s clean, good,” shopper Joyce Williams said.

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First-time shopper Williams rushed right over to the Living Fresh Market, located at 7520 Roosevelt Road, the minute she learned the local grocery store is in trouble and might close.

The grocery store has been serving Forest Park and its surrounding communities for nearly five years.

But now, the owners have to call it quits.

Shopper Lawrence Sims doesn’t want to see that happen.

“It’s clean, and customer service is very friendly,” Sims said.

Because of the grocery store’s financial situation, the owners are making a public plea, and reached out to Early Walker for help.

The businessman and philanthropist’s call to action on social media asked the community to step up this Saturday to raise $100,000.

“I’m pledging the first $500. I’m going to go grocery shopping personally tomorrow with my family, and, in addition to that, I’ve asked for a thousand people to join me and $100 apiece,” Walker said.

Some professional athletes and entertainers have even pledged their support.

Living Fresh Market is one of the largest Black-owned grocery stores in the country.

It is owned by Pastor Bill Winston of the Living Word Church and his family.

They own the mall where the store is, too.

“Jewel and Aldi is fine. But it’s nice that I can come here, and there are a lot of different cultures and stuff working same thing. The food is good,” K’lynn Kennedy said.

The owners admit that business has remained slow since the pandemic, but got worse with tariffs and people losing jobs and food assistance benefits.

They estimate about a third of their customers get SNAP benefits to buy groceries.

“What is that do to our communities? What does that do to food deserts? What does that do to grocers who are already at the hinges, already losing revenue?” Living Fresh Market Senior Executive Melody Winston said.

Winston says the grocery store needs to see around 3,000 customers a day to stay viable and keep its 57 employees on the payroll.

Curtis West has worked there for two years.

“People need to feed their families. So, we encourage everybody to come out to support us so we don’t even have to think about the unthinkable,” West said.

The grocery’s owners say a closure would impact more than just the store.

They say Living Fresh Market is heavily involved in the community, offering a mentoring program and providing assistance to local food pantries and shelters. So, they say closing is not an option.

Despite Saturday’s action, organizers of the effort want to keep the store open. They’re asking people to come and shop at the store at least one to two times a month. It’s all an effort to keep it in the community.