Butcher shop staff said they were "very" disappointed but were giving it their all as they served their disappointed customers.
The Alliance stores at Pukeuri and Timaru ceased trading from 5pm yesterday.
Pukeuri Butcher Shop assistant Lavina Stringer said that after nearly five years on the job, calling time was "very, very sad".
"It’s been very busy since people heard the shop was closing," she said.
"Because we love the job we want to see the customers happy till the very end, and for our manager."
Fellow staff member Viki McLaren said their manager Bonita Chellew had been "the best" and was the only one who had chosen to stay at the online shop replacement.
The others, including 12-year shop veteran Fiona Robbie, were looking for work elsewhere after declining redeployment by Alliance.
Alliance announced the closure last month as a way to focus on its core business.
But some of the last shoppers at Pukeuri said they were less than impressed by the loss of face-to-face service.
Regular Waimate shopper at Pukeuri, Maureen Tonkin, said she was "absolutely disappointed".
"Do they necessarily have to close?" she asked.
Casey and Margaret Staps, also of Waimate, said the quality and price had kept them coming back and they were upset about the closure.
Mrs McLaren said the closure "sucks".
"I was hoping to retire here. I left a job of 22 years to come here."
