Wow. Your Chelsea Market Basket makes the new Market Basket "On the Boulevard" in Lowell look easy. Even so, I find the Market Basket experience stressful - but the deli at Market Basket is so much better than Hannaford's.
P.S. - it's spelled DeMoulas - Demoulas is the name of the Greek immigrants who started the store - in Lowell, actually. Arthur T. Demoulas is that beloved CEO the employees struck (sp?) for.
loved this! And I love my Waltham Market Basket store. One of my favorite things is to try to practice my Spanish and French when I check out, if I can figure out which language the cashier and bagger speak, I love finding out where they come from. Also, the fresh, fish is fabulous, and I wouldn't buy my fish anywhere else! By the way, the Chelsea produce isles look a heck of a lot wider than the ones in Waltham! Count yourself lucky on that regard. 😀
I do the same thing w. French and Spanish! Yes, as aisles go, the Chelsea store definitely isn't as bad as some others. (Although the ones I captured in my pic are probably the widest in the section.)
Ha! This is the post I needed today! Like you, I have recently begun shopping at Market Basket (in Framingham). My first time was incredibly stressful, the second time less so. Perhaps changing my mindset, as you suggest, will make it even more tolerable. Also, leaving extra time. I used to whip through Stop & Shop in less than 30 minutes, still somehow spending $250+. My first foray into MB took me over an hour because I didn't know where the fuck anything was, plus SO MANY PEOPLE. But...I left with full cart for less than $200, including some impulse buys, so that was a win. Maybe I'll think of it as being part of a "slow shopping" movement, like "slow food."
In the late 90’s my s-I-l taught at Chelsea Middle School. They had entire classes of students who were refugees from the war in what we called them ‘the former Yugoslavia”.
My favorite Market Basket sport is asking the staff where things are—‘wheat germ is one aisle ovah [points to my cart] where you got your oatmeal? On the top shelf above that."
Market Basket should pay you for this amazing and hilarious plug! Maybe it's time for me to finally use the $10 Market Basket gift card that I (or technically Sammy) received for getting one of the Covid vaccines a few years back. I agree about Trader Joe's--the random staples that they just don't carry is perplexing/maddening, so not a real supermarket.
Yes, yes, yes. For another wonderfull Market Basket shopping experience, come a little bit north and go to the (relatively) new store in Lynn. It's such a pleasant experience when you have your head adjusted to the employees stocking the shelves everywhere.
I shop at the Market Basket in Johnston, RI, primarily because it is so much less expensive. I generally shop on Friday mornings, which are not too bad, but weekends are impossible! I have been very impressed by the industriousness of the shelf stockers And the friendliness of the other customers. And I do love that all the men and boys wear ties! My only issue with the market is that few of the employees available in the aisles speak English, so it’s very difficult to ask where something is. Also, because they have so many products and so many selections, the flavors/versions in any one product line are often thin. I’m thinking of Bonne Maman jellies. And pomegranate juice without raspberry or cranberry! And Fever Tree tonic water (I want regular, not diet!) and Tate’s Bake Shop cookies. (Every flavor but the one I want!) Have I revealed myself yet as a brand conscious boomer with first world problems? But I do continue to shop there!
Wow. Your Chelsea Market Basket makes the new Market Basket "On the Boulevard" in Lowell look easy. Even so, I find the Market Basket experience stressful - but the deli at Market Basket is so much better than Hannaford's.
P.S. - it's spelled DeMoulas - Demoulas is the name of the Greek immigrants who started the store - in Lowell, actually. Arthur T. Demoulas is that beloved CEO the employees struck (sp?) for.
Yes...I always found it odd that the stores were called DeMoula's while the family name was Demoulas!
loved this! And I love my Waltham Market Basket store. One of my favorite things is to try to practice my Spanish and French when I check out, if I can figure out which language the cashier and bagger speak, I love finding out where they come from. Also, the fresh, fish is fabulous, and I wouldn't buy my fish anywhere else! By the way, the Chelsea produce isles look a heck of a lot wider than the ones in Waltham! Count yourself lucky on that regard. 😀
I do the same thing w. French and Spanish! Yes, as aisles go, the Chelsea store definitely isn't as bad as some others. (Although the ones I captured in my pic are probably the widest in the section.)
Oh my god, this made ma howl and I love this so much. Signed, a devotee of the Ashland and Waltham Demoulases
Ha! This is the post I needed today! Like you, I have recently begun shopping at Market Basket (in Framingham). My first time was incredibly stressful, the second time less so. Perhaps changing my mindset, as you suggest, will make it even more tolerable. Also, leaving extra time. I used to whip through Stop & Shop in less than 30 minutes, still somehow spending $250+. My first foray into MB took me over an hour because I didn't know where the fuck anything was, plus SO MANY PEOPLE. But...I left with full cart for less than $200, including some impulse buys, so that was a win. Maybe I'll think of it as being part of a "slow shopping" movement, like "slow food."
Oooh, I love that!! Same here re. Stop & Shop. It's easy, but pricey. Welcome to Market Basket Nation! (Er...Commonwealth?)
In the late 90’s my s-I-l taught at Chelsea Middle School. They had entire classes of students who were refugees from the war in what we called them ‘the former Yugoslavia”.
My favorite Market Basket sport is asking the staff where things are—‘wheat germ is one aisle ovah [points to my cart] where you got your oatmeal? On the top shelf above that."
Oh, wow, didn't realize that about refugees. Makes sense.
Market Basket should pay you for this amazing and hilarious plug! Maybe it's time for me to finally use the $10 Market Basket gift card that I (or technically Sammy) received for getting one of the Covid vaccines a few years back. I agree about Trader Joe's--the random staples that they just don't carry is perplexing/maddening, so not a real supermarket.
Yes, yes, yes. For another wonderfull Market Basket shopping experience, come a little bit north and go to the (relatively) new store in Lynn. It's such a pleasant experience when you have your head adjusted to the employees stocking the shelves everywhere.
I shop at the Market Basket in Johnston, RI, primarily because it is so much less expensive. I generally shop on Friday mornings, which are not too bad, but weekends are impossible! I have been very impressed by the industriousness of the shelf stockers And the friendliness of the other customers. And I do love that all the men and boys wear ties! My only issue with the market is that few of the employees available in the aisles speak English, so it’s very difficult to ask where something is. Also, because they have so many products and so many selections, the flavors/versions in any one product line are often thin. I’m thinking of Bonne Maman jellies. And pomegranate juice without raspberry or cranberry! And Fever Tree tonic water (I want regular, not diet!) and Tate’s Bake Shop cookies. (Every flavor but the one I want!) Have I revealed myself yet as a brand conscious boomer with first world problems? But I do continue to shop there!
PHEW 😮💨