It's been called a David vs. Goliath story, a "Tale of Two Arthurs" and even the "ultimate Greek tragedy," but the characters in this drama are not Biblical or literary figures. They're grocery store owners.
The Family Feud.
Where I live, Demoulas Market Basket is the number one grocery store chain in the surrounding area. Not just Massachusetts, but New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, and Rhode Island. Many, including myself, consider the pricing more than reasonable, and the quality of produce, dairy and meat top notch. The larger chains just don't add up. It's the reason Market Basket has grown, and continued to outgrow all the "bigger" chains.
It's family owned, and if you're from where I come from, specifically Demoulas home base town of Tewksbury, MA, you know about the family feuds that have gone on since, well, since I can remember. Apparently, this latest feud fueled a fire that was ignited higher and hotter than ever. When Arthur T. Demoulas is ousted as CEO to be replaced by cousin Arthur S. Demoulas, one can only imagine what life is like around the family dinner tables!
What's most interesting is the fact that employees from part time clerks, to truck drivers, to the highest ranking executives have all protested on the same side as the ousted CEO. Some have been fired. Politicians, including
Governor Deval Patrick and
Atty. General Martha Coakley have voiced their support on behalf of the workers. As a matter of fact,
Rachel Maddow, after showing pictures from around the country of how few people showed up to pre-planned rallies to send refuge children back to the violence they came from in South America, 'accidently' showed one image of a large crowd protesting, but it was one of the Market Basket protests!
It's a pain to have to leave town to get every-day groceries. But I'm on the side of Arthur T. and the workers. Why? Because they are on the side of the customers! Keeping prices low and treating employees respectfully is what made Arthur T. successful.