Chebeague Island residents will have a spot to buy groceries after all next year — in the way they’re long familiar with — and with a quirky alternative in the interim.

Doughty’s Island Market, the only store on Chebeague Island and a staple of the community, closed at the end of March after 65 years in business. The closure brought an outpouring of gratitude from the community for its owner, Julie Doughty, who retired after nearly four decades running the market.

The loss of the island’s sole spot to get groceries, prepared food and other daily essentials also sparked anxiety, particularly for older island residents who struggle to bring in groceries regularly from the mainland via ferry.

“This place is the key to survival year round,” said Chebeague Island resident Leila Bisharat, 83, in March.

While Julie’s son, Joshua Doughty, thought he might take over the family store someday, he was not ready to run it when his mother retired in March. However, after seeing the impact of its closure on the community, and given his desire to continue his family’s legacy on the island, he announced this month that Doughty’s Island Market will reopen.

“It was a hard decision. I’m a nurse, I have other things going on. But I don’t want to see the store end,” said Joshua Doughty.

Cousins Mike Makee and Zach Serrano have been spending summers on Chebeague their whole lives — their great-great-grandfather started coming to the island in 1898 — and Makee’s parents moved there full time five years ago. They’ve never been to Chebeague without going to Doughty’s Island Market.

“It was an absolute staple of the island,” said Makee, 21.  “When it closed down, it was definitely a shock to the island.”

Both are entering their senior year studying business at Miami University in Ohio, and they decided to use what they’ve learned in the classroom on an island in Maine. With $15,000 in startup costs, they barged a pre-built shed out to the island, where it now sits on South Road across from the Slow Bell Cafe.

Dubbing it “Eagle Mart,” a patriotic name for the country’s 250th anniversary and a nod to the bald eagles that nest on Chebeague, they plan to stock the essentials: milk, eggs, chips, flour, beer and wine, batteries and sunscreen.

They were unable to find a spot for the shed in the island’s business zone that had running water and septic, so they will only be able to sell prepackaged food items. Makee has been outfitting the shed with shelves and a counter, while Serrano is finishing an internship and will join the operation shortly.

It won’t be Doughty’s Island Market, said Makee, just something to hold residents over in the meantime.

They initially planned to open Memorial Day weekend, but were still waiting on the town’s final site plan review. They now expect to open on June 9 at 10 a.m.

“Everybody’s excited,” said Makee. “Taking the boat, talking to people, they’re elated there’s going to be groceries back on the island.”