Many residents instead meet and greet at the SunCrest Market - a store that sells a variety of products, from feta cheese and beer to medicines and hardware.

Here, market staffers and customers often call each other by name. Families go in on the weekends to pick up a pizza and rent a movie. Parents drop off their dry cleaning. And kids stop by for snow cones on their way to the park.

"I could get everything here - and a coffee," customer Diana Stroebe said.

But after months of community rumors, the market's owners announced last week that the shop is shutting down this month despite attempts to keep it up and running.

Residents say it's just one more sign of the woes affecting this planned community after its developer declared bankruptcy and was bought by Zions Bank in July for $25.3 million.

Customers said they weren't shocked by the news of the 4-year-old market closing, but they didn't think it would happen so soon. With the high gasoline prices, many said they are not looking forward to driving 10 to 15 minutes to the closest grocery store down the mountain.

Others said they are going to miss the convenience of a neighborhood market with fair prices when they have emergencies or need necessities, from Diet Coke to art supplies. Some said they are going to miss chatting with the staff and their neighbors as they shopped.

"It was the heart of the [SunCrest] community," said customer DeLaina Tonks, who's been shopping there for more than two years. "There's always someone in there who you know."

An Aug. 2 letter from market owners Jake and Jerry Gaskin detailing the store's closing was posted last weekend on a SunCrest blog, www.suncrestresidents.blog- spot.com. Jake Gaskin declined to be interviewed for this story.

In the two-page letter, the Gaskins said they had been able to operate successfully with the financial support from the developer. But things had changed since the bankruptcy.

To save the store, they said they had tried getting residents to spend about $35 a week. They shaved store hours and operational expenses. And after the change of ownership, they asked for help, but the "current operators" (Zions Bank) were not able to provide them with enough assistance, according to the letter.

"We have really appreciated the opportunity to serve you and be a convenient stop on your way up and down the mountain," the letter said. "We have come to be friends with many of you, and we will miss that relationship."

Zions spokesman Rob Brough said he doesn't know of any discussions between the bank and anyone interested in buying the market. He said the bank's focus is on selling the 3,000-plus-acre SunCrest project atop Draper's Traverse Ridge as soon as possible.

Then, Brough said, plans for a market or to complete the half-built community recreation center will be up to the new owner.

As soon as some customers heard the news, they came to shop and offer their condolences.

Jim Crum - he read about the news in an e-mail from his homeowner's association - has been coming to the store with his wife and two kids for more than two years. While on bike rides, the family sometimes stops by for sandwiches at the market's tiny cafe. If Crum is working on the yard and needs a gadget, he often just runs down to the store.

On Tuesday, he stopped to buy about $100 worth of groceries after work, even though he didn't need the frozen pizza or bottled water. He just wanted to help them out.

"It's like your family, or good neighbors are moving away," Crum said loading the grocery bags into his car. "They'll definitely be missed."

jsanchez@sltrib.com

SunCrest Market

* Location: 148886 Traverse Ridge Road, Draper

* Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday.

* Closing day: Saturday