GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- One of Grand Rapids oldest independent grocery stores is for sale.

Third-generation owners Ed Kingma, 60, and his cousin, Bob Kingma, 62, say they are ready to retire, and they don’t have a fourth generation to take over the nearly century-old family business.

But they say are looking for more than a financial offer for the store at 2225 Plainfield Ave. NE, that is on the market for just over $1.4 million. The cousins want the store's next owner to continue the traditions of the grocery business started by their grandfather, and passed on to them by their fathers.

“Over the years, I’ve seen a lot of the businesses go through the transition,” said Ed Kingma. “A lot of assurances and promises are made for their employees and customers. Certainly nobody has absolute control once you turn it over to somebody new. But our goal is to find someone as close to possible to our style, philosophy, way of doing business. That is of the utmost importance to us.”

He says he wants to make sure the market’s workforce, which ranges from 30 to 50 employees depending on the season will be treated well.

Head cashier Janie Jimenez says she has worked at the store for 20 years because she likes the store's family atmosphere.

"They treat us especially nice," Jimenez said of the owners.

Kingma's Market, with its wood shelving and tall wall of candy, nuts, chocolate and dried fruit treats near the entrance, doesn't resemble the cookie-cutter layout of chain stores. The 9,000-square-foot footprint includes a butcher shop, dairy and deli products. The market has the largest variety of cheeses in this area, bakery products, gourmet and specialty groceries, coffees, flowers and seasonal items.

It also carries a wide array of Michigan-centric beer and wines in addition to other specialty wines and microbrews.

"Our heritage is to promote local and state grown products," Ed Kingma said.

The butcher shop is actually owned by Dave Koster, who has run his 10-employee business out of the store for 18 years. The butcher shop makes it owns lunch meats, sausages and ham.

"It's been a great fit," said Koster, adding that he is optimistic the Kingmas will find a right buyer. But he adds that with costs continuing to rise, the grocery business isn't easy.

"You have to love what you are doing to stay in this business," Koster said.

Ed Kingma says his business is in good financial shape, and sales have been going up, a reflection of the store's loyal customer base.

"Even in the tough economic times, we've seen success," he said.

Although Kingma's has been for sale on the national market for a few months, the news hit social media on Wednesday, leading some customers like Lola Hedberg to believe the store was preparing to shutter.

"You can't close my store," said Hedberg, who says she has been shopping at Kingma's a few times a week for nearly 20 years. She says the small store carries nearly everything she needs, including her favorite milk from Country Dairy.

Despite the popularity of the neighborhood store, Ed Kingma doesn't expect a big chain to make an offer like was the case with Spartan Stores (now SpartanNash) buying popular local grocer Forest HIlls Foods last year.

"We don't fit their prototype at all unless they wanted to do something different in a smaller setting," said Ed Kingma, noting that he and his cousin are willing to wait a few years for the right buyer.

The family’s grocery business began in 1917, selling produce up and down streets in a horse-drawn wagon.

The first store was opened in the 1930's at a Division Avenue location before it moved to Grandville Avenue, a location at Chicago Drive and Godfrey Avenue SW, according to the ad for the business.

In the 1950’s, the store moved to Kalamazoo and Boston SE, where it thrived for 47 years, before closing in 1999, five years after the current Plainfield Avenue location opened.

Shandra Martinez covers business for MLive/The Grand Rapids Press. Email her or follow her on Twitter @shandramartinez.