Ruff Creek Crafts is a cluttered shop of knick-knacks and antiques, where the owner, Lauren McMurray Stauffer, stands leaning over the counter, smiling and chatting with a customer. Behind her, her daughter’s German Shepard puppy, Draco, perks up at the sound of anyone passing through to see the vintage furniture pieces, books and art, zooming over to anyone who glances in his direction.

But after five years in business, this comfortable shop, said Stauffer, is now reaching its bittersweet end.

“My grandchildren moved back to the area, and I basically want to be a full-time grandma. And my husband and I have both reached retirement age, and it’s time for us to start a new chapter,” said Stauffer. “This has been a very tough decision.”

Before opening Ruff Creek Crafts, Stauffer was an operations manager at Wal-Mart, where she managed the growth and expansion of a large franchise. In that position, Stauffer said she was responsible for building a store, staffing it, and merchandising. But building a small business in a rural town could be just as challenging, she said.

“I sort of stepped down from all that responsibility to a small store, thinking it would be easy and it’s just as hard,” she said. “The hours, the commitment is a lot more. It’s non-stop, never far away from your thoughts and ideas.”

Stauffer said that during its years of operation, Ruff Creek Crafts gave her a strong connection to the community–one that she continues to cherish. She was not just a business owner: she was also a member of the Rain Day Committee and the Greene County Chamber of Commerce, and she currently serves on the Greene County Tourism Board.

Stauffer said that as she closes the shop, she’ll step down from the other business-related affiliations as well, but she’ll stay focused on the tourism board, hoping to bring more out-of-county visitors in “to benefit all of the businesses.”

Ruff Creek Crafts is the latest in a long list of local businesses in Waynesburg that have permanently closed their doors in the past few months–with others including Artbeat, Coach’s Cafe and Four Horsemen Comics. And while the shop’s closing is not due to any financial or business qualms, Ruff Creek Crafts has not been immune to the difficulties, Stauffer said.

“It’s a challenge,” she said. “I mean, you have to work a little bit harder than you did when the economy–when the mines were in…You’ve got to go with the times. It’s not that it’s wrong; it’s just changed.”

Though she is stepping down, Stauffer said she is hopeful that the smalltown community will pull together in a time of economic uncertainty. With bigbox stores and online sales a growing trend, she is fearful for small businesses like her own.

“It’s not something that I can change but it’s a wish that I would have for everybody to take the time to shop and enjoy what the local merchants have to offer,” she said.

Despite the challenges of running a business here, Stauffer regrets nothing. She has full faith in the community and its value.

“I really wish the very best for the community,” Stauffer said. “I love this area. I love this town.”