Big Y Vs. Market Basket? (Boston, Somerville: neighborhoods, law, shop)

[wolfgang239]

Originally Posted by brienzi

I checked out the new Burlington store as i live the next town over and my thoughts are.. Huge store with
people rushing down narrow aisles, their eyes bulging trying to find what they need. To me it wasn't a shopping experience where u take your time, find ur items on sale and just shop for your budget.

It was more like Zombie shoppers, rushing down the aisles with a mad look on their face. For me that's not a pleasant experience as i prefer taking the extra hour to shop well and save money. For others that's how they prefer to do things and who am i to criticize. I'll take MB and shop at a normal pace with a list and know what's on sale to save money. I won't be going back to Wegmans any time soon as it's like walking into a bowl of stressed out people..and i'm not stressed when i shop. Work is stress not food shopping.

I found it quite the opposite in Burlington, but I guess I'm used to the Somerville Market Basket which is all out mayhem.

[brienzi]

Originally Posted by wolfgang239

I found it quite the opposite in Burlington, but I guess I'm used to the Somerville Market Basket which is all out mayhem.

Your right. I'm used to my home town but i know Somerville too and can see the resemblance and get your point which is spot on. I was impressed with wegmans overall, but for me it was shopping in rush hour traffic. However your point is well taken and I'm no city person so shopping in an environment like that is not something i'm used too or ever will be, but for many it's a day in the park.

[Boston_Burbs]

I used to work at Big Y as a Yute and now sometimes shop at MB.

I see a lot of similarities with the new MB stores and Big Y stores with the layout and prepared foods. Both stores are owned by local families and have a loyal non-union workforce. I met many big y lifers who made a very decent wage. They offered health insurance to part time employees.

Bother families are also without their scandals. Including an alleged murder for hire of one of the D'amour heirs by his wife.

Price wise, MB blows Big Y away with their store brands. I also like that MB doesnt do the crap with the card that tracks your every move and purchase (trust me it does).

All that being said I like Hannaford best of the 3, its like a combo of all of them. I like that Hannaford does not have the card, their stores are inviting, and their Natures Place Organics brand is cheaper than Whole Foods. MB at least from what I have seen does not offer a Organic Store brand and I have not shopped regularly at Big Y since i began eating healthier to comment.

Wegmans is a combination of everything that is bad about Shaws and Whole Foods. They had a huge buffet like Whole foods but it was all crap. They had someone in the fish department filleting a farm raised salmon. It seems like a huge gimmick to get rich people to spend money on crap.

One small local place i was impressed by was Crosbys. Not for every day stuff but their meats and fish were quality and well priced. They had Wild King Salmon Steaks which you never see anywhere.

[AtkinsonDan]

Originally Posted by Boston_Burbs

All that being said I like Hannaford best of the 3, its like a combo of all of them. I like that Hannaford does not have the card, their stores are inviting, and their Natures Place Organics brand is cheaper than Whole Foods.

I was a default MB customer until the boycott during which I was forced to find an alternative. I found Hannaford to be the next cheapest alternative. I was all set to switch back to MB at the end of the boycott when I noticed that Hannaford lowered some of their prices. Suddenly it cost me (literally) only a few bucks more per week to shop at Hannaford for my weekly perishables (dairy and produce) and I consider that a fair price to pay for the lack of crowds while shopping. Non-perishables are now bought in bulk at the warehouse club and supplemented by a monthly trip to MB for the products and brands that the warehouse club does not sell. My store bought food sources are presently:

(1) Hannaford
(2) BJs Wholesale Club
(3) Market Basket

I won't bother investigating Wegman's unless they migrate northward. I am not going to suffer through that horrendous Burlington Mall area for the sake of checking out a supermarket.

[FCMA]

I agree that Hannaford's is great. I don't buy all organic, but I like to have the option and Hannaford's provides that without egregious prices. Some of the newer MBs have a decent organic selection, but historically MB hasn't had anything but the brand-name good ole American industrial agriculture staples.

[AtkinsonDan]

Originally Posted by FCMA

I agree that Hannaford's is great. I don't buy all organic, but I like to have the option and Hannaford's provides that without egregious prices. Some of the newer MBs have a decent organic selection, but historically MB hasn't had anything but the brand-name good ole American industrial agriculture staples.

I actually like that MB attracts almost all the elderly shoppers in the area. It makes getting in and out at Hannaford and BJs Wholesale relatively easy.

[mdovell]

Reminds me why does star market still exist? I know shaw's owns them but frankly why not just convert?

[AtkinsonDan]

Originally Posted by mdovell

Reminds me why does star market still exist? I know shaw's owns them but frankly why not just convert?

That is a really good question!

[Amontillado]

You can read up about the corporate trades that Star/Shaw's has been through, but I didn't see a clear explanation of why they still use both names:
Shaw's and Star Market - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That article says, "several Shaw's stores in the immediate Boston area are set to be remodeled and re-opened as Star Markets" so perhaps they think Star has a more up-to-date image. It's strange. One thing I've noticed is that things advertised in the Star (or was it Shaw's) weekly flyer aren't necessarily the same price at Shaw's (or maybe it was Star).

[mdovell]

I understand the idea of owning/operating different brands. Usually price level makes up for it somehow. GM is an example along with Toyota etc. Even Best buy has magnolia...Starbucks now owns Teavana

With supermarkets Aldi and Trader Joes are somewhat connected to a point.