MARKET BASKET IS THE GOOD NEWS IN HAVERHILL!
Congratulations to all the people of Market Basket – the employees, vendors, and customers. You put yourself on the line for an ideal and it paid off, proving in a big way that the little guy can win, and that’s especially important in Haverhill where we literally put all our eggs in one Basket*.
*Haverhill has the third largest geographic area of any municipality in Massachusetts. We have three grocery stores. All are Market Baskets.
Even at 8:47 pm, no one needed to say “Smiles everyone!” like Mr Rourke did on Fantasy Island (anyone remember that) these smiles were genuine and well-earned.
WARNING THE NEXT PART IS A JOKE ………..
Not to take any of the honor away from what you all did by standing up for what is right, but The Heartbeat of Haverhill feels in some way responsible for the final resolution between the Arties of Market Basket. THOH held off for five weeks without my preferred grocery store. We shopped farmers markets and farm stands, bought from small independent shops and ate out – a lot.We rationalized the restaurant visits two ways: 1) if THOH was going to spend $40-70 more for a carriage full of groceries, then THOH might as well take that money and go out to eat and avoid shopping at all. 2) THOH began to consider dining out research for an upcoming post about where to get the best lunch for $5. (Stay tuned and send suggestions!)
Kate Walsh of Haverhill very very graciously stopped to chat with this stranger with a camera even while holding a few hefty bags of supplies.
And then yesterday happened. We were out of all the non-perishables and The Heartbeat of Haverhill crumbled and finally went to another grocery chain. A more expensive grocery chain. And somehow the Arties must have heard about my foray into Shaws and thought “wow if we lose her, the business will be totally ruined .” And so they decided to stop standing their ground and come up with a sensible resolution. Now we feel mighty contrite for not having faith for one more day and a little sad that we can’t cram any more into the cupboards or fridge to give them much business yet, but just wait.
Looks like Artie T is photo bombing this picture, but alas, it was a poster in the store.
That’s enough revisionist history, okay… the mayors and the governors added to the pressure the customers and employees and vendors were applying and that helped, too. And, THOH is so glad the stores are open. Glad enough that on the way home from a long night, THOH was compelled to visit each and every one of our no-longer-off-limits stores even though our cupboards are far from bare after yesterday’s shopping spree. The Heartbeat of Haverhill got a vicarious thrill watching and chatting with smiling shoppers and associates. Even a half hour before closing time, Hillies headed into MB wanting to support the happy ending. One, Kate Walsh, at Rivers Edge Plaza told me she’d spoken to the manager and the produce and meats will be arriving tomorrow. Another stopped to take photos of the hand drawn messages, others just stuffed the groceries in the trunk, ecstatic to be getting bargains and to experience the interactions with happy, well treated associates at their favorite store.
From here on out, if you’re looking for The Heartbeat of Haverhill look for the lady pushing the very full shopping cart . But note, THOH hopes we will all still support our Farmers’ Market and farm stands, too, it’s such a short season in New England.
Market Basket Westgate Plaza
400 Lowell Ave, Haverhill, MA 01830
(978) 372-2051
Market Basket Central Plaza
2 Water St., Haverhill, MA
(978) 372-0576
Market Basket Rivers Edge Plaza
225 Lincoln Ave., Haverhill, MA
(978)372-1515
(c)2014 by Alison Colby-Campbell
15 comments on “MARKET BASKET IS THE GOOD NEWS IN HAVERHILL!”
Leave a reply to mikelabonte Cancel reply
Alison Colby-Campbell
The Heartbeat of Haverhill 
“The Heartbeat of Haverhill feels in some way responsible for the final resolution between the Arties of Market Basket”
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Really Alison, are you serious? Don’t you think it had more to do with the 25,000 other customers and MB associates that supported ATD. What about the local farmers that have dedicated 4 generations to supplying MB with fresh local produce
Farmers that have made a huge effort to accommodate shoppers in the Merrimack Valley. What about the neighboring stores in all these MB plaza’s that have endured a 50 ` 60 % loss in revenue due to no customer traffic
The FINAL resolution had to do with ATD securing a loan for 1.5 BILLION dollars and NOTHING to do with your ‘Heartbeat of Haverhill’ blog
You AREN’T from here and you have NO idea what this store is and what the DeMoulas family means to the people in the Merrimack Valley.
Get a grip on reality and get over your self importance ~ you had nothing to do with the MB resolution. Every time I read the quote above I feel sick. YOU were in NO way responsible for the resolution.
I appreciate your comments Barbi but fear I must not have made it clear enough that this is a light-hearted blog. I feel bad about your reaction. But here’s the thing it WAS about ALL people participating, shoppers who refused to shop, associates (my family included) and vendors who refused to accept a bad situation, everyone who helped support associates by giving money/food/parttime work to those people who weren’t getting paid because there were no part time shifts, and who also supported farmers directly when they stopped supplying the stores. So if as you quoted there were “25,000 customers and MB associates” then I am 1/25000th responsible. And that’s okay. I am proud of my small part, because it took every one of us to stand behind what we believed in to effect change
You, too, have effected change – right before “that line”, I’ve now added a cautionary disclaimer to stave off that reaction in others.
Finally Barbi, please, do not read “that line” anymore. I do not want you to get ill when there’s finally so much good food to be had again at Market Basket.
PS: For the record – I’ve lived 24 years in the Merrimack Valley, 7 here in Haverhill. And even before that shopped at MB.
Then again Barb, some people can’t see tongue-in-cheek writing even when it’s staring them right in the face. Get a grip, she’s clearly not serious.
Dear wandering nomad, I appreciate your support, Wondering whether maybe it was too early for me to speak lightly about the issue?
Someone has run out of meds 😉
Cuttah thank you for reading.
Ventured out to MB yesterday for the first time since this family feud reached new heights. So glad it is resolved for the sake of all the employees, suppliers, fellow store owners and, of course, for all the devoted MB customers.
I know it feels great doesn’t it
I feel badly, I only went to 2 Market Baskets yesterday. You beat me!! I also had a big part in the success of ATD as I used every bit of willpower that I had and did not go into a Market Basket for my favorite store brand of their Premium Chocolate Chip Ice cream. So Alison, I think I am the sole reason for their success (hope I don’t get blasted) Keep up the writing, I enjoy (and need) a little humor in my day.
Kim, You can be 1/24999th responsible at least until you hit that third store. Thanks for your comment.
Uh Oh math failure meant 1/25001 th responsible – trying pronouncing that out loud
Where is Riverside Plaza? Is that actually the Central Plaza store? Like Alison, I’ll miss “Oh look, the cupboards are still bare; we’ll have to eat out again!” 🙂
Mike when I went on line it side Riverside and River Edge and I thought that is pretty confusing, but yes, it is Central Plaza. Thanks for reading and commenting!
Oh, Barbara.
The “you AREN’T from here.” was 100% choice.
As if being from somewhere gives exclusivity to having an opinion.
Alison, It was a charming piece.
Cheers to all.
MV
Thank you Mike, But no worries, we’re all entitled to our opinions and had I blocked Barbi’s response that wouldn’t be fair, but posting it also allowed me to read the super nice comments of support like yours. And those made my day!.