I don't know why people don't like it, but the McKay's in Wildewood has always been my preferred place to shop. For all the complaints about how "nasty" it was, I only see Giant and the newer McKay's in Leonardtown as anywhere approaching pristine. I never ever shop the Food Lion next to K-Mart.
It may well be some of the things I liked about it contributed to its decline. For instance, I don't recall ever running into crowded aisles or having to wait a long time for a register or at a deli counter or at the bakery. Day or night, I don't suppose there were ever more than a dozen or so other shoppers there, at any time. Similarly, I rarely had to worry about being run over by the constant stream of cars rolling through the parking lot or in front of the store.
There is of course - price - and aside from Wal-Mart, McKay's consistently had the best prices for most of the things I'm going to buy. I'd prefer McKay's because I'm not crazy about the parking lot or the idiot customers or the horrendous lines at Wal-Mart on a busy day.
And then there is convenience. It's the closest store. I can rush to McKay's and be back home in minutes.
I really hope that whatever replaces it is a grocery store at least as convenient as McKay's was.