Ed Anania, 63, worked the counter at his store on Congress Street in Portland (ME) Tuesday morning, ringing people up, taking sandwich orders and consoling heartbroken customers who just heard the news. The landmark 61-year-old sandwich shop, Anania’s Variety Store, will close for good on Friday.

All morning, a steady stream of stunned customers — brown-coated delivery drivers, men in orange safety vests and construction workers in steel-toed boots — received the news with a mix of sadness and gratitude. “God bless you and best of luck,” one woman said, shaking Anania’s hand in what would have become a tearful hug if the counter hadn’t been so wide.