The shop in Pootsi village in Pärnu County has been serving local residents continuously for a century. Owner Ülle Palits has been running the store for over 40 years. She said the shop's best-selling items are pies and pastries.

Due to the declining number of residents in the area, the owner has now decided to close the business in mid-February.

"There are fewer elderly people now. And the younger ones who come here work in the city, bring things back from town, Selver's delivery van brings groceries to their doorstep," Palits told ERR.

The business is still important to people living on Manija, also known as Manilaid, in the Kihnu Strait. The island has a permanent population of less than 40 people and Pootsi shop is their closest store.

Palits said: "Lately, I've mostly kept it [the shop] running for the people from Manija. But now, since even they are coming less frequently, I have no choice. The business is in such poor shape that it's just not working out."

Once a week, Palits locks the shop door, drives to the Munalaid harbor, picks up the Manija residents, brings them to the store, and drives them back to the harbor afterward.

"All the people from Manija come here, it's the first shop," said Manija residents Einar and Olev, told ERR.

Asked how often they visit the shop, the men replied: "Every Friday, that's our agreed shopping day. The shopkeeper kindly picks us up. It's the only one in the area that still serves the people of Manija who come over."

Manija resident Mark Soosaar believes the state and local government should support rural stores. The city of Pärnu has provided €1,500 per year in support, but Soosaar says that's not enough.

"If we really want to be taken seriously as a Nordic country, we should follow the example of Finland and Sweden. If a small shop or a small school is about to close, then the state or the municipality steps in and provides €20,000 to €30,000, an amount that allows at least the shopkeeper or the head of a small school to continue their work. Otherwise, rural life will be completely shut down," Soosaar said.

The City of Pärnu is interested in keeping the shop open and has not ruled out increasing its financial support, said Tõstamaa borough chief Sander Kilk.

"The Pootsi shop is very important to the entire community — not just to Manija Island, but also to Pootsi, to Tõstamaa in general, and to the city of Pärnu. Our goal is for the Pootsi shop to continue for another 100 years, not just 100. But the city itself definitely will not engage in business operations there. We are actively looking for all possible solutions to keep the shop going," Kilk promised.

Palits said she will close the store in mid-February but is willing to sell the building and would be glad if the shop continued operating.

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