<p>It is OK and perhaps healthy to disagree, Consolation. This said, digging deeper in this family saga might suggest that there is more than Good and Bad Arthurs. And definitely more than the opinions of employees. </p>
<p>Things are looking much brighter this morning. Final bids were submitted yesterday and per a spokesman for Artie T, his bid is the highest and hits all the requirements of ASD’s side. Board is meeting sometime this weekend to vote. Artie T has offered to come and run the company and get the stores back up and running tafter his is bid is accepted but before the deal is finalized. Keeping my fingers crossed that my D will get her parttime hours back and my S will get his scholarship this year!</p>
<p>I still have a queasy feeling. Nobody from the Arthur S side or the board has weighed in expressing a preference for accepting the deal instead of closing the stores on Monday. Maybe they just left early on Friday to beat the traffic to the Vineyard or something. :)</p>
<p>The big change in the offer was that Arthur T. lined up a private equity to finance the part of the deal, eliminating the need to pay off the Arthur S shares over time. It’s now reportedly a $1.5 billion cash deal to the sellers. I sure hope they get the stores running in the next day or two, because I’m down to my last little bit of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and I’ve been afraid to even look at the price at Shaws.</p>
<p>I really miss the containers of whole peeled garlic for about a dollar! I haven’t found it anywhere else at any price. The only MB brand item I have left is brown mustard. I have been buying only the bare necessities at Shaws and Hannafords. Today I went to a small farm stand for produce and had to wait on the street to get into the parking lot.</p>
<p>When/if the old MB returns I’ll be spending a small fortune to stock up on all the basics I’ve run out of. I wonder how long it will take for all the stores to get properly stocked up?</p>
<p>I’m a Whole Foods/local health food store/organic farm stand shopper for food products, but any non-food items I buy from Market Basket. The prices are lower than the other supermarkets and comparable to BJs–sometimes cheaper–but you don’t have to buy 700 rolls of toilet paper to get the discount. I boycotted the store since the beginning of the walkout and I’m getting really low on non-food supplies. Really hope this settlement is happening soon.</p>
<p>Market Basket also invested heavily in expanding fish counters and their entire fish buying and processing system. That’s paid off for them - not just in lobsters! </p>
<p>I have to say their service level can be at Wegmans level. People are genuinely helpful and friendly. </p>
<p>" Board is meeting sometime this weekend to vote."</p>
<p>Did they meet? Any news-</p>
<p>That’s really amazing about both the prices and the wider selection of items compared to the other chains. (thanks for the details, --dads, et al)</p>
<p>Wow. Someone will write a HBS case on this eventually. “Market Basket ran into the ground by basket cases”. What a bunch of greedy idiots. Take the $1.5b for the half of what is worth almost nothing - now!</p>
<p>I heard a story tonight. Friend of somebody I know was at a fancy wedding reception at a country club in a ritzy MA town last weekend. The “bad” Arthur S. DeMoulas was a guest. Showed up belligerent drunk ranting about what a big shot he was and generally making a fool of himself until he was escorted out. Then, he went down to the local tavern and again made enough of a drunken scene there to have the police called.</p>
<p>There’s also a story showing HIM getting married in a small NH church a couple of days ago. </p>
<p>Kinda helps understand why they are seemingly unable to just “git 'er done”. Kinda sounds like Arthur S might be in the middle of a world-class bender.</p>
<p>I believe that Market Basket stores will close this week, essentially putting the company out of business. I swung by my local store last Monday afternoon at 5pm (rush hour when the stores are usually packed). There were two cars in the parking lot. There are no customers.</p>
<p>I’m really surprised at the Hannafords prices. There is one very close to where I work so I sometimes stop in for a few quick items. I’ve always been amazed at how expensive they are. </p>
<p>I have noticed some lower prices at both Shaws and Hannafords in the past two weeks so I wonder if the prices from the survey are pre-boycott or current prices.</p>
<p>am very frustrated that the Board cxld theri meeting last night. they say they can’t vote till the shareholders are all in agreement so somebody still doesn not want to get this done! Yes, stories are that Arthur S got married for the 4th time Friday eveing up in NH! and then was supposed to begoing on a 3-4 week honeymoon in Greece. That must be interesting. Bet he is on the phone constantly getting updates of the situation. </p>