Can I make a suggestion from a sympathetic customer to all of the employees of Market Basket? Firstly, a little history. I grew up in Hampstead NH. My family shopped at a small, family owned, grocery store called Custeaus in E. hampstead for years and years. I used to ride my bike there to get snacks or a sandwich at the deli until Hannafords opened across rte 111 about .3 miles away and put this little, amazing, store out of business. My mother was a very loyal woman and refused to give the new evil store our hard earned money so we drove to the plaistow Market Basket for our groceries from then on. Sure, it was out of the way. Sure it was crowded. But, they had fair prices and valued family and their employees. For these reasons my mother was a loyal market basket shopper until the day she died. As I got older I moved away and had few options for my grocery shopping needs, the nearest market basket was 20 miles away....I had to shop at the local. Hannafords. It killed me. A few years ago my wife and I moved to Salem NH. I was happy for so many reasons but one that stands out the most in that memory was that there wasnt only a close MB but two right down the street! I now have a beautiful 2 year old daughter and she and I have shopped there every week since the time she was born. She knows the store and the employees almost as well as our home and our friends. She knows she gets cheese at the deli (she doesnt know about the cookies at the bakery yet...Im going to keep it that way for as long as I can) she knows that she gets a paid sticker (or 3) at the register to put on her (and daddys) nose. The employees know her, they recognize her, they talk to her and she talks to them. In fact, when I go without her at least 2 people ask me where she is. In the past two weeks I have had to shop at other stores, I have been to Shaws, Wal Mart and the dreaded Hannafords in Hampstead. It not only breaks my wallet but it breaks my heart. Its such an empty experience. I will shop at Market Basket when this situation is resolved and our grocery store family gets their jobs and CEO back but I must say, Ive been tempted to shop there, without crowds and save my money but my other raised me better than that and I would never disrespect her honor. However, I have friends and family that are quickly getting sick of high prices and apocalyptic crowds at other stores. They will be back at MB sooner than you guys think. They will put their heads down and walk past the amazing, passionate, people outside the doors and parking lot holding signs and their childrens hands all for their own personal benefit, so they dont have to fight through crowds or pay higher prices. I have surrounded myself with amazing people and if they are teetering on going back before this is resolved there are most definitely others out there ready to come back. Now for the advice. Keep it up. Keep standing out in the rain and sun with your family and families. Keep posting pictures and stories, not only on this groups page but on your personal pages for everyone to see. And for me, one of the most important pieces to your continued success, is post pictures of empty shelves. You have your supporters that will put ads in the paper and boycott but post pictures of empty shelves and you will deter those that are sympathetic but teetering and struggling with the decision to come back early or not. No one wants to, or enjoys food shopping....they most definitely do not want to go twice or to 2 different stores in the same day. Good luck. Thank you and stay strong!
Posted on: Sun, 03 Aug 2014 14:24:04 +0000
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