just saw this.
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I saw that too, @wonderwoman. I am not happy at this turn of events, not least because I have been an especially happy shopper during the Artie T. era. I only hope this gets sorted out in a positive way.
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The love of money and the quest for more of it does terrible things to many people, especially the wealthy.
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I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s another employee/customer/trucker protest. HOWEVER, having said that, a coworker’s wife works there in their accounting dept. (note - VERY low level and recently hired employee).
He doesn’t think they’ll protest again. He said his wife said “most employees are unhappy with changes in benefits, not being allowed to decorate in the office or cubes for holidays like Christmas, only being allowed 2 pictures on your desk.” Now, those are all headquarter issues, NOT store issues. I asked him “Yeah, but WHO is driving the “changes in benefits” - the board members? If they get rid of Artie T and his kids, it just means more of that.” He couldn’t disagree with that.
Supposedly Artie T. and his son and daughter haven’t been as hands-on recently. But if he’s getting ready to hand the store off to his son and daughter, that makes sense.
I’d still bet that store employees will be backing Artie T. and won’t be at all surprised if there’s another protest. I drive past the headquarters on East Street every weekday - I’ll be back to honking my horn if it happens in support!
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The “Reporter Matt” IG account is great. This one might amuse Market Basket fans.
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It does! I needed that, thanks!
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OMG, I LOVE this M&M guy! What a sweetheart. I wanna go visit him in Salem. Thanks for posting the IG link!
(OK, I edited to remove a couple of the !!!. 
)
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Aww, that gentleman is quite the character! Loved that highlight of his collection.
And how sweet of the reporter to get him his Fred M&Ms.
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Very sweet and uplifting story!
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I saw a couple of Tik Toks about the shenanigans going on at Market Basket and rushed right over here to see what was going. We don’t have any in NJ but I always stop at the one in Waltham right off of 95 when I’m in the area.
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I teared up yet again re-watching this. Matt is a great interviewer. Check out his other dispatches. Reminds me of Steve Hartman on CBS Sunday Morning. Proving once again that everyone has a story. The “Humans of Market Basket” series I’m sure would uncover many more Fred-like gems.
ETA: This is in the similar vein…sharing a cuppa (tea) in London. Proof that not all social media is bad.
https://www.instagram.com/a_mug_of_life/?hl=en
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn4DUXvpvJ3EFj_ynKB1e_Q
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I really hope this doesn’t escalate.
I have fond memories of being interviewed by Bob Oakes on WBUR in the Somerville Market Basket parking lot, where of course I went to shop and celebrate the moment the strike ended. And whatever the opposite of fond is, that’s the kind of memory I have of the actual strike, where I had no good cheap grocery options for that unfortunate summer.
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Yeah, if you use the Somerville MB, there’s not a whole lot else around that immediate area. (And bless you for braving the Somerville MB on any given day!)
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When we were first living together, my now-husband accompanied me on one trip to the Somerville Market Basket and it so overwhelmed him that he offered to carry in the groceries, put them away, AND find parking for the car afterwards if I never made him go with me again. We lived in a 4th floor walkup in Back Bay, so this was a serious offer! 
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Here’s an appreciation of Market Basket from The Boston Globe by columnist Kara Baskin. (Sorry, gift link not possible.)
My reasonable total at the checkout today reminded me why I’m an MB fan too.
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and the drama continues…
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The sisters are going cutthroat - they just secretly voted to oust the board member who favored Artie T. on August 7th.
“I think it is clear that the main reason I was removed was that I was exercising my right as a board member to demand information on what the basis of these allegations against Arthur was, particularly about the supposed work stoppage. That’s not a threat, it’s a duty that I had — to get to the bottom of why they had so publicly decapitated this incredibly successful company, removing its management,” Shea said in a statement issued by Rasky Partners, the firm that represents Demoulas.
I really think the store employees AND the customers will picket the stores again if this money-grab on the sisters’ part continues.
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My husband and I were just discussing this. I hope that the family conflict doesn’t end up being the end of MB as we’ve known it. Families can be complicated and when money enters the picture, ouch.
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Agree. I think the sisters just want more money; Artie T. wants his kids running the business, which is what he seemed to be grooming them for, and heads are being butted. If MB goes down, that’s a HUGE loss for the area!
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Not to forget that Market Basket has a valuable real estate portfolio. it’s not been talked about in this case, but we locals have certainly seen a real estate portfolio being cashed out in Massachusetts to the detriment of communities the institution served. Truly hope that’s not how this ultimately unfolds.
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