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Old 01-13-2013, 12:31 PM
 
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Mainegirl, where exactly is the Friends and Family market? When we stay at my father's cabin in Lamoine, we obviously do our grocery shopping in Ellsworth.

Remember the old A&P on Main St.? My stepfather loved that place.

When I lived in NH, I shopped at Market Basket and I certainly wasn't the only one. 'Twas no secret that they had the best prices. I read a couple of articles in various papers where the authors compared prices in different towns. Market Basket always won.

Concerning Walmart, the stores vary. My biggest problem with them is the produce. I've shopped in two stores that have acceptable offerings. But, I also visited a store (Salem, NH) that offered stuff that looked like the truck was on the way to the dump and it decided to unload it's stuff at this store! Also, the meat can be odd. Poultry seems fine, but they put a chemical solution in the gr. beef that actually affects the taste (at least to me).
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Old 01-13-2013, 12:52 PM
 
Location: Maine
22,836 posts, read 28,060,928 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mainebrokerman View Post
The group will acquire the stores for $100 million in cash, and the new company will assume $3.2 billion in debt.
That sounds like a leveraged buyout to me. Which is a recipe for massive bankruptcy that will allow management to walk away with millions and leave the employees with bupkus. This is vulture capitalism at its worst and ought to be illegal.

If you work at Shaw's, be smart. Spend the next year looking for a new job, before it's too late. Get your pension out of there before it's gone in to the investor's new yacht.
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Old 01-13-2013, 01:08 PM
 
Location: Maine
1,151 posts, read 2,023,236 times
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I agree with what others have said about the meat and produce at Wally World. But I don't really like Hannaford or Shaw's that much either. There are local stores in Searsport (Tozier's Market) and Swanville (Swan Lake Grocery) that I would much rather shop at.

Shaw's used to offer some competitive prices, but the last few times I've been in one, their prices have been through the roof compared to any other places. I think this overpricing of their merchandise is a big part of their problems.

Hannaford has come back in line with the real world lately, but for a while they were the devil as far as I was concerned. I used to absolutely hate the one in Belfast with a passion formerly reserved for Satan himself. Overpriced goods and absolutely rude staff was the norm up until a few years ago, at least in Belfast--especially after the IGA store downtown (I think it was Ouelette's, or something like that) went out, giving them a practical monopoly. I think they've shaped up a bit in recent years, but I'm fairly slow to forgive, so I still don't go in there if I can help it; I only hate them with a passion reserved for (insert political party/sports team that you dislike here) now.
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Old 01-13-2013, 01:31 PM
 
19,957 posts, read 30,001,004 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CoastalMaineiac View Post
I agree with what others have said about the meat and produce at Wally World. But I don't really like Hannaford or Shaw's that much either. There are local stores in Searsport (Tozier's Market) and Swanville (Swan Lake Grocery) that I would much rather shop at.

Shaw's used to offer some competitive prices, but the last few times I've been in one, their prices have been through the roof compared to any other places. I think this overpricing of their merchandise is a big part of their problems.

Hannaford has come back in line with the real world lately, but for a while they were the devil as far as I was concerned. I used to absolutely hate the one in Belfast with a passion formerly reserved for Satan himself. Overpriced goods and absolutely rude staff was the norm up until a few years ago, at least in Belfast--especially after the IGA store downtown (I think it was Ouelette's, or something like that) went out, giving them a practical monopoly. I think they've shaped up a bit in recent years, but I'm fairly slow to forgive, so I still don't go in there if I can help it; I only hate them with a passion reserved for (insert political party/sports team that you dislike here) now.
good points!


I liked that oullette's market in belfast !!, then a guy named ken owned it before it closed
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Old 01-13-2013, 04:01 PM
 
Location: Maine
3,524 posts, read 2,820,225 times
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I would rather shoot and eat squirrells than buy meat at VomitMart, Shaws is over priced compared to hannaford, hopefully the new owners will get rid of the stupid card thing and lower there prices to compete.


bill
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Old 01-13-2013, 04:10 PM
 
393 posts, read 976,665 times
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The Hannafords and Shaws are practically across the street from one another in N. Conway NH. The Shaws is always empty because prices are better @ Hannafords. That said, they are also building a Market Basket and turning the regular Wal Mart into a Super Wal Mart, so both Hannafords and Shaws are panicking. In my experience the produce is not of very high quality at Super Wal Marts.
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Old 01-13-2013, 04:39 PM
 
3,925 posts, read 4,091,799 times
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Hard to Beat Walmart in Ellsworth. The same grocery buy that costs $250 at Shaws, $235 at Hannafords, is $175 at Walmart. As much as I hate the place.... And they are the only ones with the dogfood that my dog needs. I'm mostly Vegan and my wife buys her meat at Hannafords. Why would I do my shopping at the others for $75 more a week, and $300 more per month?
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Old 01-13-2013, 06:07 PM
 
1,873 posts, read 2,855,860 times
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Originally Posted by slyfox2 View Post
Hard to Beat Walmart in Ellsworth. The same grocery buy that costs $250 at Shaws, $235 at Hannafords, is $175 at Walmart. As much as I hate the place.... And they are the only ones with the dogfood that my dog needs. I'm mostly Vegan and my wife buys her meat at Hannafords. Why would I do my shopping at the others for $75 more a week, and $300 more per month?
You could go to Friends and Family Market instead because you care about the success and livelihood of local business owners.
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Old 01-13-2013, 06:21 PM
 
1,873 posts, read 2,855,860 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Radio Flyer View Post
Mainegirl, where exactly is the Friends and Family market? When we stay at my father's cabin in Lamoine, we obviously do our grocery shopping in Ellsworth.

Remember the old A&P on Main St.? My stepfather loved that place.

When I lived in NH, I shopped at Market Basket and I certainly wasn't the only one. 'Twas no secret that they had the best prices. I read a couple of articles in various papers where the authors compared prices in different towns. Market Basket always won.

Concerning Walmart, the stores vary. My biggest problem with them is the produce. I've shopped in two stores that have acceptable offerings. But, I also visited a store (Salem, NH) that offered stuff that looked like the truck was on the way to the dump and it decided to unload it's stuff at this store! Also, the meat can be odd. Poultry seems fine, but they put a chemical solution in the gr. beef that actually affects the taste (at least to me).
Yes, I remember the A&P on Main Street....fond memories. A very nice man who used to work there passed on a few years ago. Friends and Family Market is on Rt. 1A headed towards Bangor in Ellsworth Falls on the left not too far past Dunkin Donuts and Ellsworth High School. They also sell gas. They are extremely nice local people. Some make a special trip to buy ground beef from them.
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Old 01-13-2013, 07:17 PM
 
19,957 posts, read 30,001,004 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mainegrl2011 View Post
You could go to Friends and Family Market instead because you care about the success and livelihood of local business owners.
excellent point!!

I try to patronize my local hardware stores, and main street stores that are struggling, also try to shop the iga's, I will shop them whenever possible.... I have bought my guns from local dealers, not from wal-mart.

some mainstreets, that have been hammered the last few decades are making a comeback,,,because of attitudes you mentioned
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