Talk:Market Basket (New England)

Current Crisis 7/26/14

Has there been any discussion about the current crisis?

The 2014 crisis is covered somewhere in the history section, and also has its own article Tylr00 (talk) 23:54, 26 August 2016 (UTC)

Infobox

Why was the infobox removed? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2001:470:888B:2:60E4:7B1B:B0EA:BB88 (talk) 17:17, 28 September 2013 (UTC)

Looks like it's been restored Tylr00 (talk) 23:55, 26 August 2016 (UTC)

Store list

I don't think the list of stores belongs here. Unless someone demonstrates that it's particularly relevant to this topic, it's just a waste of space. -Grick 03:11, Mar 3, 2005 (UTC)

A list of stores was exactly what I was looking for. I also disagree with the (subjective) claim that produce quality is lower at DeMoulas and Market Basket than at other Boston-area supermarkets. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 63.106.93.177 (talk • contribs) 23:38, 13 January 2006 (UTC).

I'm going to change the statement about lower quality meat and produce if no one else does -- based on weekly comparison, this statement is POV at best, doubtful at worst. It's my opinion that both are at or above the level of quality of Shaw's/Star. Given the debatable nature of this statement, it's not appropriate for inclusion in an encyclopedia article. It was also relevant/useful to mention the lack of loyalty card program, unusual in this market at this time. 65.96.180.86 01:56, 17 January 2006 (UTC)

It's presentation that seems to affect MB's perception among casual shoppers. I think regulars would tend not to agree that quality is lower. I changed the line to reflect that, also added the loyalty bit. Hopefully all will be semi-satisfied with this. 18.173.1.42 18:21, 17 January 2006 (UTC)

I added a list of stores on Nov 7, but it was deleted. I thought since Market Basket doesn't have its own website, this would be a good place for some basic current information, i.e. addresses and tel nbrs. Demoulas' history is certainly interesting, but I think help locating a store would make this wiki useful. (gergev - my first post and edit - sorry if I did not follow protocol). —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Gergever (talk • contribs) 21:45, 29 November 2006 (UTC).

I'm going to disagree with that, though it wasn't me that removed the info. It's an encyclopedia article, not a directory. What goes in here should be based on whether it fits, not because there's not currently a better place on the internet to put it.

The external links section does contain (only) a site with a list of stores, by the way.

And sign your posts with four tildes (~), please. 18.173.1.42 22:16, 11 December 2006 (UTC)

There is no "External Links" section. Perhaps it was deleted since that comment was posted. I think a list of store locations would be very useful and appropriate in this article. Perhaps not the addresses and phone numbers, as per the comments above. 76.19.147.79 19:27, 25 March 2007 (UTC)

How about a link to the stores' website? That's what I came here for. And maybe other people did so as well. It's not marketbasket.com. So it's not obvious or trivial. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.69.127.120 (talk) 19:01, 22 September 2007 (UTC)

Market Basket, for some reason, doesn't maintain a website, although WHOIS for www.demoulasmarketbasket.com shows that they own and pay for the domain. Perhaps they're planning on making one? In any case, they have one website, www.supportmarketbasket.org, to support the construction of a store in Gloucester, Mass. Pmo22 (talk) 19:45, 17 January 2008 (UTC)

Six years later and I guess we have to open this discussion again. I added a store list because there is no other accurate list of stores available on the internet. The list also shows closed stores and stores about to open. The stores about to open also cite references. The counter argument to this is that Wikipedia is not a place for lists - however, this is a complete article of which the list is an integral part. Lists are not foreign to Wikipedia either: go to any TV or radio station page and find lists of other stations in the same market or state. Until an accurate list can be found elsewhere, I see no other place where this information can safely reside. Wikirjd (talk) 04:20, 2 September 2014 (UTC)

• As there is no accurate list of stores available on the internet, the entire list (unless a reference can be provided) is original research. --Hirolovesswords (talk) 03:44, 2 September 2014 (UTC)

Hiroloveswords is very much correct here. Wikipedia is not a directory, and it is not our responsibility to maintain a list of stores. We would not have a list of the thousands upon thousands of McDonalds locations; that this chain only has seventy-something does not change that. Pi.1415926535 (talk) 03:29, 2 September 2014 (UTC)

Also, regardless if the store list should be included or not, if it's classified as original research we can't leave the store count of 77 stores in the infobox, following the same rationale, unless someone can add a citation to that Tylr00 (talk) 00:05, 27 August 2016 (UTC)

Advertisement

"Demoulas Supermarkets Inc. employees have the best retirement plan and structure in the country" and "Market Basket and DeMoulas shows that professionalism and traditional dress make the perfect work environment" are very biased statements, IMHO. This page shouldn't be an advertisement written by the front office. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by RabidGreenMonkey (talk • contribs) 21:11, 12 April 2005 (UTC).

I imagine these have been long ago removed. Tylr00 (talk) 23:54, 26 August 2016 (UTC)

POV

It's funny how this article presents everything that's wrong with Market Basket stores in a positive light.

• "Fiercly resisted Industry trends"- I'd call it neglect. The stores are hopelessly stuck in 1975, they are generally dimly lit, dumpy. They won't even invest in non-slip floors, instead they dump gobs of kitty litter on the floors on bad weather days. It's amazing that they even have price scanners. The only time a Market Basket gets anything approaching a renovation is when a competitor moves into its area. These renovations bring the store into about 1980.

• "Market Basket stores usually offer a wider variety of many foods" - as long as they are strawberry flavored.

-The place rarely gets several flavors of anything. Just different types of items.

• "Understandably customer loyalty is intense"- Only because they are the only grocery chain in town.

-Many parts of it are debatable. Loyalty is really fleeting.

• "high employee morale is typically noticeable"- Where? Employees generally don't seem to want to be there. Department managers often allow items to be out of stock for weeks at a time.

-Out of stock items are actually out of the control of the store itself. Until the warehouse gets it back in, there's nothing the chains can actually do about it.

• "and stores are usually quite crowded with a hustle and bustle feel" - is that what they call it? The stores are too small, aisles are too tight, and you can't turn a corner without getting mowed down by a typically oblivious shopper.

-Not much you can do about space if you want to fit a lot of items in. The company skimps so they're likely to spend little on making the store bigger. Also, it depends on what sort of buildings they inherited.

• "only stores of the national, upscale image chains Trader Joe's and Whole Foods Markets come close to Market Basket's sales per square foot" - again, chalk that up to cramped stores that lack competitors in their neighborhoods.

-Well here, the smaller the store, the more puffed up the 'square foot' numbers will be.

I'd accuse this article of having been written by Market Basket's PR department, except I doubt they even have one. Nor do I get the feeling they have even heard of Wikipedia, let alone the Internet (in 2006 they STILL have no website!).

The only saving grace of this chain is their low prices, which somehow they manage despite not having the volumes of other competing chains.

-Low prices are due to skimping on everything else (overhead, store design, etc.)

Yes, I'm not a happy Market Basket customer. There are three MB's in my town, and no competitors. Shopping at any of them is a generally frustrating experience. If I want to shop somewhere else, I have to drive miles to a neighboring town.

-May as well drive there.

—The preceding unsigned comment was added by 208.204.155.241 (talk • contribs) 19:15, 16 August 2006 (UTC).

What town is that you live in that has 3 Market Basket's in it? 68.189.241.158 (talk) 12:17, 4 January 2009 (UTC)

That would be Haverhill. The27thMaine (talk) 14:32, 4 January 2009 (UTC)

• I do not believe that the chain uses kitty litter anymore, they now have saw dust. I wish they would at least upgrade to a cedar or cherry type, so my car and house would smell nice when I track it back home with me. The27thmaine (talk) 21:59, 3 October 2008 (UTC)
  

Perhaps the article could use a more neutral tone, but the above comments present a biased POV and in some cases are factually inaccurate. 76.19.147.79 19:36, 25 March 2007 (UTC)

The POV on this article should be changed, but probably not by 208.204.155.241, as their comments seem even more POV in the other extreme. Mentioning Sales per square foot is NPOV, but having it there would probably require citation, if one can be found. Stores, with few exceptions, are within a mile of Shaw's, S&S or Hannaford Markets, and are not 'the only grocery chain in town' in any situation. An effort to completely revise the article should be undertaken, while taking care to maintain Neutral view on all aspects Pmo22 03:45, 29 July 2007 (UTC)

• I am the author of the comments by 208.204.155.241. I admit I'm biased on this so I haven't touched the article. But I would just like to say 'the only grocery chain in town' is quite true in some cases. For example, in Haverhill, there are 3 full-sized grocery stores, all Market Baskets. Some other towns have gotten competition only in the past couple of years. I've gotten word from the mayor's office that Market Basket uses their real-estate arm to block out potential competitors. For instance the former K-mart in Westgate plaza, Haverhill, has remained empty for years because MB has vetoed every interested tenant so far. --Asm71 18:06, 8 November 2007 (UTC)

I've worked for the company for a few years now, and I can tell you that RMD Inc. (Market Basket's real-estate arm you mentioned) owns and leases out Westgate Plaza. To put another grocery store in that spot would be a terrible decision both for Market Basket and for whatever competitor would want to move in. Pmo22 (talk) 19:45, 17 January 2008 (UTC)

• Market Basket has been blocked in the same way in other towns over the years. Gloucester MA for many years, Manchester NH is another. It's a 'game' they all play, and not just in the grocery buisness. Granted their 'style' is dated, but their pricing is one of the few that can compete head to head with the likes of Wal*Mart. As for employee morale; isn't it the same everywhere? You complain about where you are because you are always looking for better. In the grocery buisness Market Basket is one of the better to work for. And please note; I do not, nor ever have, work for the company or have a stake in it. —Preceding unsigned comment added by WIZARD Racing (talk • contribs) 12:08, 4 October 2009 (UTC)

A rambling, disorganized article

I've just made some effort at turning this into an encyclopedia article, but it's got a long way to go. Some important points:

• Every time a "fact" occurs to you about Market Basket, don't just sitck a new sentence, paragraph, etc. in to reflect this. Rather, think about where in the logical order of the article (order that, frankly, doesn't quite exist yet) that "fact" should go.
• I put "fact" in quotes because an awful lot has been postulated here with no supporting citation. This is a key element of Wikipedia or any publishing. If the assertions in this article aren't backed up with their sources, they will be deleted. Wikipedia is not a place for original research. Because you say you know something, that's not enough. Cite it.
• That said, not *every* little detail about Market Basket is pertinent. There have been many, many little factlets stuck in here, I can't imagine by whom or why, that are more distraction than solid substance. I still can't figure out why it's useful or relevant that the PA's went silent when Mike Demoulas died. Get the basic article down, then figure out if your trivia is worth including. And if you do include it, cite it.
• Style, please. So much here needs rewriting that it's hard to know where to start. I've triend and will continue, but for pete's sake, there's a one-hundred-six-word-long-sentence in this article. I wish I were an English teacher and had a red pen to write "see me" so I could explain why that's not alright. 18.173.1.42 17:20, 21 August 2006 (UTC)

I agree with most of your comments, except about the 106 word sentence. If the sentence is properly written and flows, there's nothing wrong with that. However, as the the structure, I agree but this article is in need of a major overhaul Tylr00 (talk) 00:00, 27 August 2016 (UTC)

Feels like storytelling at its best Tylr00 (talk) 00:00, 27 August 2016 (UTC)

Pharmacy?

Where is there a Market Basket with a pharmacy in it? I'm pretty sure that's wrong. RabidGreenMonkey 04:26, 24 February 2007 (UTC)

I don't know, and I've been in quite a few (mainly MA stores). I've compiled a list of Market Baskets from various sources on the internet

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pvqW21GBJDtEkA3i4UU98Ug&output=html

Gergever 16:40, 2 March 2007 (UTC)

This list is very useful and should be cited in the article. I will add it to an "Exxternal Link" section. 76.19.147.79 19:41, 25 March 2007 (UTC)

None of the Market Basket stores have pharmacies. Though they usually have a pharmacy chain near them, if not within the same plaza.WIZARD Racing 22:15, 1 September 2007 (UTC)

What addresses for email are there for Market Basket?

What addresses for email are there for Market Basket? --dsaklad@zurich.csail.mit.edu 08:05, 13 March 2007 (UTC)

Absolutely none other than inter-store communication adresses that aren't made public. The store doesn't even run a website, when chains a third its size do. 72.71.206.17 02:32, 16 August 2007 (UTC)

All right then, how does one send snail-mail (suggestions, comments etc.) about Market Basket stores to management? Since Market Basket seems to have zero web presence, this should be an option, and perhaps listed in the infobar. There should be other options for communicating with Market Basket other than to stop in store and speak to the customer service desk. Mail to East Street in Tewksbury perhaps? Midtempo-abg 15:11, 9 November 2007 (UTC)

Demoulas and Market Basket stores use an intranet system for stores to contact each other and the main office in Tewksbury. Stores have no outside internet access. Mail would be the only way really to contact them. Pmo22 (talk) 19:45, 17 January 2008 (UTC)

Addresses for email at Market Basket are first initial last name. Store managers and corporate management now make available their addresses for email. --the zak (talk)

Executive officers of Market Basket

Who are the executive officers of Market Basket?... —Preceding unsigned comment added by Donwarnersaklad (talk • contribs) 16:06, 1 January 2009 (UTC)

Fair use rationale for Image:Mkt-basket.jpg

Image:Mkt-basket.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

If there is other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images uploaded after 4 May, 2006, and lacking such an explanation will be deleted one week after they have been uploaded, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.

BetacommandBot 03:10, 7 November 2007 (UTC)

I have added fair-use rationale to the image page MrZeebo 13:41, 7 November 2007 (UTC)

Gun shot or heart attack?

I notice that the cause of death of George Demoulas in 1971 keeps changing from gun shot to heart attack. I read that he had a heart attack while vacationing with his family in Greece (http://www.answers.com/topic/demoulas-market-basket), but someone said that the "state department confirmed" that it was a gun shot. Can we get a primary source for this? I'm sure it was front-page news for the Lowell Sun, if someone can view the older issues on microfilm. He died on 27 May, as stated on Demoulas Brothers, this page continues to say "heart attack". The27thmaine (talk) 22:10, 3 October 2008 (UTC)

Market Basket Oxford Mass>?

Can anyone tell me when the Market Basket in Oxofrd will be up in operation? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.74.118.132 (User talk:72.locest74.11rek) 23:04, 31 July 2009 (UTC) I heard after new years 2010, they are opening there glocester store in october. I keep noticing they call this a new england chain, there is only market basket in NH and MA, unfortunately, I'm in maine and I personally drive the 80 miles to shop there. I wish they would expand to all of New England, I save more than I can at Wal Mart even with gas at $3, plus I can get 93 octane gas in NH which is outlawed in Maine, highest here allowed is 91

Signs are up in other stores saying that they are takeing employment applications for that store. I'm hearing Nov because they want it to be going for the holidays. —Preceding unsigned comment added by WIZARD Racing (talk • contribs) 12:03, 4 October 2009 (UTC)

Tenant Search Link

That site definitely does not meet the requirements of the reliable sources policy. It cannot remain as a reference--it is a corporate site, self-published, with no editorial oversight. It can't even remain as an external link, per WP:ELNO. The contact information that another editor deleted is especially unacceptable, per WP:SPAM and WP:NOTDIRECTORY. Please do not re-add that info. I believe that some of the other references also may nto meet WP:RS, but I don't have time to check at the moment. Qwyrxian (talk) 22:12, 18 September 2010 (UTC)

I feel that it should not be included in the article since it is not actually sourcing anything, but I do not agree with the part about being corporate and self-published. As the corporate website, information published by it is certainly reliable. The only thing that it would be a bad reference for is for claims about other establishments where it is not an "expert on the subject". For example, it is perfectly fine to source quarterly profits and company statistics, but not things like "it is the most popular supermarket in the area". Grk1011/Stephen (talk) 03:54, 19 September 2010 (UTC)

But the website is a collection of information about other stores and companies. The citation was quoting a company called "Dealmakers" to verify facts about DeMoulas/Market Basket. That means it falls squarely under the restriction on using SPS to talk about other sources. And, as you are correct to point out, they certainly do not qualify as an "expert on the subject," at least in the sense that Wikipedia uses the term expert. Qwyrxian (talk) 02:35, 20 September 2010 (UTC)

It sounded like you were saying it was Market Basket's corporate site originally, but if it is just a general corporate site, then no it cannot talk about other companies reliably. Grk1011/Stephen (talk) 12:20, 20 September 2010 (UTC)

No links?

Market Basket wont start a site, so someone did. http://www.MyDemoulas.com It helps me and alot of people, why cant it be listed? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.229.145.100 (talk) 04:27, 14 January 2011 (UTC)

Wikipedia is not the place to advertise a fansite. See WP:ELNO #10 & #11. --- Barek (talk • contribs) - 04:31, 14 January 2011 (UTC)

Business Strategy

Market Basket's business strategy should be mentioned. By keeping prices low at almost all costs, they greatly increase sales volume, reducing the overhead per item, making the chain highly profitable. They do not use any gimmicks.

Market Basket has a very loyal following, but let's call a spade a spade. Its customer loyalty is based 100% on one factor -- price. A recent study of Boston area supermarkets showed that Market Basket has by far the lowest prices in the area. The quality is about the same as its competitors, except that its stores are not as nice looking and its produce is fresher. Because Boston area grocery stores tend to have higher prices, other low cost grocery chains such as Wegman's are starting to enter the Boston market. Bostoner (talk) 02:33, 20 December 2011 (UTC)

Burlington, MA store

in 2011 or early 2012 the original Burlington, MA store was abandoned and relocated to a larger location within the same mall. The old store was quite dated; the new location is thoroughly modern. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 108.7.149.191 (talk) 23:47, 5 May 2012 (UTC)

Company Leadership

Can we all agree that as of right now (July 22 2014) and until Market Basket's board meets and makes further changes, that the company's current leadership consists of James Gooch (Co-CEO), Felicia Thornton (Co-CEO), and Keith Cowan (Chairman of the board)? Absolutely.

Founding year, article and side template have different ones

So is it 1916 or 1917? -- Kendrick7^talk 20:36, 29 July 2014 (UTC)

biased and woefully inadequate

the feuds/protests section makes it sound like arthur t is george bailey! let's have a little PERSPECTIVE here. his side of the family STOLE the business from the other side, and the only reason arthur t has been allowed to set foot on the property lo these 20 years is b/c judge lopez was a bit careless in her ruling. she made it abundantly clear her intent was to REMOVE the arthur t side once and for all (actually father MIKE, at that point), but didn't transfer quite enough stock to effect this.

if justice had been served, arthur s would have been in control from the day of that ruling, and arthur t would be in jail with his late dad. so let's not jump on the "arthur t is messiah" spin in this article.

reference #3 gives a great many details which should make their way into this article.

http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/demoulas-market-basket-inc-history

it does not cover the recent accusations agaist arthur t for embezzlement and real estate fraud.

it also, unfortunately, gets judge maria lopez's first name wrong. 209.172.25.152 (talk) 04:33, 5 August 2014 (UTC)

2016 Rewrite

I find that many of the issues spoken about in the talk pages are still flagrant in the article. This article focuses on a storytelling of the recent drama unfolding at MB. Perhaps reorganizing some info from the history section into more poignant sections such as "about" "business model" and others may help make this more readable Tylr00 (talk) 00:41, 27 August 2016 (UTC)

The article doesn't need a major rewrite - it's actually very well written, and some of the historical information already was placed in a separate article. The tag is for articles that need to be rewritten from the ground up, not well-sourced articles with good prose that need only incremental work. Did you realize that some of the comments you replied to on the talk page were nearly a decade old? Pi.1415926535 (talk) 01:00, 27 August 2016 (UTC)

I am certainly not criticizing any of the author's work, but please try and remain objective in our conversations. Looking at this article, it consists of a lengthy history section (parts of which mirror the main article for the 2014 fued, and could be shortened to redirect there). Adding in commonly found sections could give the article more structure, while retaining the integrity of the "prose" Tylr00 (talk) 01:22, 27 August 2016 (UTC)

Removed unsubstantiated claim about loyalty cards.

I removed "Unlike most low-price grocers, " before "Market Basket does not use loyalty cards." because the reference does not say anything about low-price grocery stores. In general it is the high price supermarkets that use loyalty cards, not the low price ones. Bostoner (talk) 00:04, 4 March 2018 (UTC)

Store count

Article mentions the Rhode Island stores as most recent, and as bringing them to 90 stores. The first is no longer true; Hanover opened a store earlier this year. The second wasn't even true at the time; while Johnston was indeed numbered as store 90, five stores have closed over the years, making the current store count 86. 2601:188:C580:6C90:55EA:9A7D:FEE:E343 (talk) 16:05, 17 July 2022 (UTC)