The truffles, fudge, cotton candy, popcorn and ice cream are gone. The shop is dark and a “for rent” sign has appeared on the windows of 122 West Portal Ave. where Shaws, a candy store and local favorite that’s been in the neighborhood since 1931, had operated.

The closure caused sadness, if not surprise, among some customers.

“I grew up in West Portal and remember going there as a kid. I was always excited to pick out my sweets,” said Maryo Mogannam, president of the San Francisco Council of District Merchants Associations. “Shaws closing is a wake-up call for the community.”

The candy store was started by Douglas Shaw 89 years ago and was initially called Karamel Corn. As the store grew, Shaw moved his candy-making operations from the back of his shop to Millbrae and eventually grew the company into a 50-store chain, according to an archived post of Shaws defunct website. The company shrank over the years until only the original one in West Portal remained.

A few stores down the same block, Ambassador Toys also recently announced its closure. Linda Kapnick, the owner, told The Chronicle in September that people came in, looked at toys and then bought them more cheaply online.

“They literally take pictures and then say, ‘Oh, well, I can find it cheaper on Amazon,’” she said at the time.

Other candy shops have also struggled. In August, mall-based candy store Lolli & Pop, a chain headquartered in San Francisco with 69 stores across the country, filed for bankruptcy.

“Losing two anchor businesses in West Portal is worrying,” said Karl Aguilar, co-owner of Papenhausen Hardware in West Portal. “It’s very difficult to run a small business in San Francisco. Often there is no support.”

Lee Hsu, president of the West Portal Merchants Association, said reducing fees, outdated regulations, and burdensome permitting requirements, “would be paramount in preserving and encouraging locally owned businesses in San Francisco.”

Shwanika Narayan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: shwanika.narayan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @shwanika