Why are there no Market Baskets on the South Shore? (Boston: real estate, buy)

[Amontillado]

Originally Posted by pennyone

Yup, the Stop and Shop that's too cheap and greedy to put locks on thier shopping carts. So now people juts steal them off the lot and leave them all over the streets. They say its too expensive to install thiose wheel locks, so they would rather the neighborhoods they are located in get blighted instead. Great corporate neighbor! I do my best never to shop at S&S in Quincy.

I'm not sure that a company that was "cheap and greedy" would avoid using the locks, and thus encourage people to steal the carts! They'd want to defend their valuable property, more likely. But is Stop & Shop at fault if citizens of Quincy blight their neighborhood with abandoned carts? That looks like trying to find someone to blame other than one's neighbors. In Melrose Shaw's actually has its parking lot across a street from the store, so there's not much chance of installing the cart lock system. But the people seem to be an honest bunch there.

Aldi is a European company and they use the European system, where to get a cart, you have to put a coin in a lock and it's imprisoned until you return the cart. But in Germany they'd use a euro, which is worth over $1, and here it's only a quarter. I suppose they can't count on everyone having a dollar coin.

Sorry, this was about Market Basket, wasn't it. My opinion is that they sell stuff significantly cheaper than the other chains. I have the impression that since last year's buyout, they're not quite as good, but still worth traveling a little extra distance for.

[in_newengland]

Originally Posted by western mass and love it

I couldn't imagine anyone in Wmass going all the Way to Keene just to shop. Even from the border it is an easy 30 minute ride. I just don't see the savings after you factor in time and gas.

I went home to WMass for Thanksgiving and a few of them said they do get together and drive up to Keene to go to MB. Not all the time, because it's a long drive, but if you split the gas or are just up there anyway driving around it's worth it.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by Parsec

I've never seen the prices at MB, but I find it hard to believe a family can save thousands of dollars a year on groceries by shopping there. Prices would need to be 25% cheaper than the 2nd cheapest supermarket chain.

You need to do an item-by-item price comparison of the things you buy. For my list, it's easily 25% cheaper than Stop & Shop, Shaws, Price Chopper, or Hannaford.

[vtecluder617]

Originally Posted by jan0105

I spend thousands of dollars more a year on groceries since moving back down south of the city Why are there no MBs down here? I wish I wanted to get in to the grocery business.

Ugh I know. Lived in Cambridge for years and used to go to the one in Somerville for my shopping needs. I think there is one in Brockton, which wouldn't be too bad of a drive if you lived on the "inner" South Shore (ie, Abington, Rockland, Whitman, Hanson)

[massnative71]

For myself; Hannaford, MB and Wegmans were generally comparable on most items. I would rotate between the three, depending on what I was buying.

[jan0105]

We don't have Wegmans either!!

I shop at Hannford. Not my favorite, but cheaper than Stop and Shop, which is the only other option.

[gf2020]

"South Shore" covers a lot of ground. Where exactly do you wish there was a Market Basket?

[jan0105]

Originally Posted by gf2020

"South Shore" covers a lot of ground. Where exactly do you wish there was a Market Basket?

Why, are you going to open one for me?

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by jan0105

We don't have Wegmans either!!

I shop at Hannford. Not my favorite, but cheaper than Stop and Shop, which is the only other option.

Yeah it seems like west of Boston has the most overlap in stores. MB, Hannaford, Wegmans, S&S, Shaws, Price Chopper, Roche Bros., Big Y, as well as Walmart and Aldi; it has them all. I haven't live on the S Shore in years, but I'm sure the lack of competition there drives the general prices up.

[Boston_Burbs]

We shop mainly organic and only buy store brands. Whole Foods, MB, and Hannaford all had similar prices but MB has significantly less selection. Stop and shop is more expensive than the ones above except for Bananas.

I miss Hannaford because I could go to one place and get the majority of the things we buy, now I have to go to two (MB and WF). WF gets to the ridiculous level if you dont buy the 365 brand.

MB does have a great fish department though. They have great local contacts and blow WF out of the water on price and freshness. I just wish we had better access to King Salmon around here, especially steaks.. no better fish to Grill. No one carries it regularly except Crosbys ironically.