June 3, 2025 • 36 mins
The ongoing drama with Market Basket where CEO Arthur Demoulas was suspended and put on paid leave by the Board of Directors with his three sisters at the helm, is very reminiscent of the HBO hit drama Succession where family and business relationships sour, and battles ensue. Tonight, we discuss the market basket feud and hear your thoughts on it! Boston Globe reporter Camilo Fonseca joined us to discuss!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZY, Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Thank you very much, Dan Watkins. Well, as I think
all of us know, last week, we did touch upon
this ongoing battle with the family members of the Market
Basket ownership team, and I was delighted today to read
a piece in the Boston Globe d one of the
Business section. Was page one of the Business section and
(00:29):
tid to move over Kendall Roy. I'm not a big
succession fan, but the article bought basically draw us the
real life drama, draw us a connection between the real
life drama of the Market Basket. Boardroom is a real
life succession in the mind of Camillo Fonseca, who wrote
the piece for Treadlines. It's a fun read and it
(00:51):
does provide me a lot of insight into what is
going on with Market Basket. So let me first of all,
welcome Camilla fan sake, Yeah, Covintle, thanks for joining us tonight.
I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Thanks for having me. Dan, I'm glad to be here.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Well, I'll tell you I'm not a succession guy, but
you now have intrigued me to probably watch a little
bit of this HBO presentation. I know it's been around
for a while. Tell us about the analogies here. I mean,
this is a sort of the shifting into mural alliances
within the Demoulis family, people switching sides back and forth,
(01:32):
and at this point RDT, who was the hero of
Market basketback in twenty fourteen, now finds himself on the
outside looking in. Give us your sense of it as
you as you I'm sure have talked to some of
the folks that are involved, love to get your take
on it.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Yeah, absolutely. I mean the first thing when we were
in the office and these headlines started started coming out,
everybody was like, oh my gosh, this is just like
an appias of Succession, Because you're right, the sort of
shifting family loyalties have really sort of crystallized the struggle,
you know, for the past several decades, but especially you
(02:13):
know the news that broke last week. So for those
who haven't watched Succession, so much of it is based
around this family sort of Rupert Murdoch esque that run
this media company, which is obviously a very different business
than running a local New England supermarket chain, but the
(02:33):
way that it portrays, you know, all these siblings and
how they form alliances and then they're backstabbing each other.
It makes for a lot of good drama and it
really is in some ways very similar to what we're
seeing with Market Basket, because when RDT de Mulas was
placed on paid leave last week, it was at the
(02:54):
instigation of his three sisters, the same three sisters that
he had allied with in twenty fourteen, back when the
walkouts were all happening. So these were this is the
same side of the family that came together to buy
out the other, the arthur S side of the family
back in twenty fourteen with all the customer boycotts and
(03:17):
the walkout, and for the past ten years, eleven years,
you know, they were supposedly on the same side of
the coin. But I you know, we can see now
that that can change very quickly.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
Well, you know, you have this this situation here. Most
families in New England are anywhere, I guess, have their
own little struggles, their personal struggles. Someone doesn't like Uncle Harry,
someone doesn't like cousin Marie or whatever, all of that
sort of stuff. But the stakes are higher in a
(03:51):
demulis case or in a case of succession. And yet
in the case of Demulis or the Dmula's family and
market basket, it affects a heck of a lot more
people than just the immediate family. It affects everybody who
who's a customer there, who shops there. We all not
(04:13):
only get pulled into the h into the controversy, but
we all, I think, inherently kind of pick what side
we're on, who we're rooting for. I'm rooting for RDT.
I can't tell you why, but I'm rooting for RDT
because I remember ten years ago, eleven years ago, he
(04:34):
seemed to be the guy who was the good guy.
And he has not fundamentally changed the store at all.
It's still the same market basket. That is I think,
you know, customer friendly prices are pretty much better, in
my opinion, across the board the quality of the of
the products. So you know, that's where I'm coming from.
(04:56):
I don't have a dog in the fight of succession,
but I we have a dog in the fight. Did
the market ban? Could people talk to you much about
in anticipation of this? So they're not the most communicative
people in the world, as I understand that with the outside.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Media, they didn't, so they didn't talk to me for
this particular article. You know, they have talked about, you know,
the reasons that they put RDT on paid leave, and
it was because essentially, you know, from what we can assume,
a lot of it has to do with the same
(05:33):
stuff that he was fighting for in twenty fourteen, which
was you know, the levels of employee compensation or employee
benefits and the shopping experience. I would say that that
is probably less of a concern in the board's eyes
because they're saying that a lot of it has to
do with how ARDT is running the company, as in
(05:56):
he's not you know, supposedly he's not taking advice from
the board, he's not letting them in on key decisions
and capital expenditures. So it really, you know, depends on
who you want to believe, I guess, but I mean,
another thing you said is one hundred percent right, is
that you know, people still have such a strong affection
(06:18):
and respect for RDT even after you know, eleven years
after the walkouts that that saw him buy out the
rest of the company with his sisters. You know, he's
still a household name in many parts of New England,
in Massachusetts, So it remains to be seen.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
He's kind of a kind of a folk.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
People have like T shirts with his with his faith
on them, and like like market basket logos that are
are with the market basket named out and the mulus
on them. You know, it's it's something that people really
care about, and certainly that affects a lot of people,
not just shoppers, but but the employees as well. So
you're absolutely right.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Did you develop a sense and again, I know you're
a columnist here, but you're also sometimes in a role
as a reporter. Did you get a sense as to
how long you think this struggle is going, how long
it's going to last, or how it might conclude. Did
you get any sense of that or or.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
I mean, it's really it's really tough to say. I mean,
if you remember back in twenty fourteen, I think that
was you know, several weeks if not months that that
those walkouts and stuff dragged out. And you know, at
this point we're not seeing any like you know, massive
walkouts or customer boycotts so far, but you know, if
(07:44):
that changes, it really is is hard to say. The
board has said that they are they are doing an
investigation into whether Arthur T. De Mulis was planning on
leading a walkout. I think that was part of the
reason that they gave for placing him on paid leave,
because they wanted to have this investigation. And then you
(08:06):
have people in Rdt's camp that are saying that that
is you know, that's complete blowney. You know, so it's
who you believe, and it really is hard to say.
I have no idea. I wish I did, but I
think it doesn't bring a lot of comfort to shoppers.
I'm sure.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
I just highly commend this article today in the in
the Boston Globe. People can get it online. Move over,
Kendall Roy and the subhead is if the market basket
boardroom battle is a real life Succession saga, complete with
family drama and dysfunction, A lot of alliteration from those
sub headline writers. I don't know if they still have
(08:45):
subheadline writers at the Globe, but I.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
Can't take credit for that. But yet, Yeah, they did
a great job with that one.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
It caught my eye, I gotta tell you, and I
I really enjoyed it, and I do appreciate Camelo kind
of coming on and just talking about it because it
gives me a launch pad here for this next next hour.
So I thank you for joining us, and I'm going
to be following you a little bit more closely. And
I did reach out to our mutual friend h and
(09:15):
left her a message, and I hope she's listening great,
and I was able to leave her a voicemail. Okay, Dan,
thanks you Bell Ill appreciate it so much. We'll talk again. Okay,
thanks very much. I enjoyed that conversation. I hope you
did as well. Now the conversation I'm really looking forward
to is yours. This story is just percolating below the headlines. Uh,
(09:40):
And I got to tell you that there will be
a conclusion to this story. I don't know what it is,
the conclusion that I'm concerned about, and I'm not necessarily
rooting for one individual or the other. But the one
individual that I am familiar with, obviously is Arthur T.
(10:02):
I think he's run market Basket remarkably well and one
of the things that I want to see. As an
occasional shopper, I have to get to Wall Fame. That's
my nearest market Basket, and I get there a couple
of times a month, so I'm not the backbone shopper
that maybe some of you are. But one of the
(10:22):
things that makes market Basket attractive to me prices. The
aisles laid out a lot more comfortably than some of
the other stores. It's easy to maneuver. The people are helpful.
The employees are helpful. Many of them are first generation,
but they are great people. They never look at you
(10:44):
like you have two heads. If they don't understand what
you're saying, they will find and another associate to always
try to get your questions answered. And the thing that
is most attractive to me about market Basket is that
when you do check out, you're checking out in a
checkout line with a cashier and in most cases a
(11:05):
bagger as well. Although I like to bag my own groceries,
I have never seen in a market Basket store a
self checkout, automatic, kiosk or whatever you want to call them.
It's as simple as that, because when I go to
the store, I want to feel that I got everything
I needed at a decent price, and that's what market
(11:25):
basket is all about. So I want to find out
who are you rooting for? Because I don't know what
plans the other folks might have for market Basket, But
I'm pretty confident that Arthur t RDT will probably keep
it just the way it is and it will continue
to be a store that I find to be very
(11:45):
comfortable when I go there. Six one seven, two, five
four ten thirty six one seven nine three one ten thirty.
We will talk about this only only until ten o'clock,
because at ten o'clock I am committed to talking about
the incident in the attack, I'm not going to call
it an incident, the attack in Boulder, Colorado on Sunday
(12:07):
six one seven, two five four ten thirty six one
seven nine three one ten thirty. This is personal to me.
I hope it's personal to you, and I hope you
enjoined the conversation. Only lines still open right now. Six
one seven nine three one ten thirty.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
So let's let's talk about market Basket, and uh, I know,
I know what I'm concerned about. I've seen too many
traditional stores change and all of a sudden, there are
fewer and fewer customer service lines, more and more automatic
(12:49):
checkout machines, which I think is a mistake for the stores,
because I think a lot of people can be tempted
about I'm going to ring this up. Maybe I won't
ring that up. Let's get back to the phones. Let's
go to David in Pennsylvania. Dave, do you have market
basket down in Pennsylvania?
Speaker 4 (13:06):
I know, but I'll tell you a story again. I
used to cut me to the original Ta Demolis back
in the late nineteen eighties, around eighty eight, eighty nine,
when the family was still fighting. Yeah, I mean the
old man Ta Demolis, very nice guy. The first school
was in Lowell, of course, you know the Merrimack Valley
area and what do you call it. I used to
(13:28):
know the Suns and I always used to work for
Anthony Athenis too, we know the Athenis family. Great man
but a great guy. Yeah, absolutely, And the same thing
with mister Demolis. So I think they might have known
each other to who knows, you know, in the business cycle.
But they were very all, very nice to work for it. And
(13:49):
we don't have market baskets. Say we got something called
giant eagles. I don't know if you heard a giant
eagle kind of like you're stopping shop back there?
Speaker 2 (13:58):
Yeah, well again stop stop and shop has got bigger
they've gone through. It's no longer owned I think by
the original family. And you know, whenever these you know,
big institutions like a stop and shopper Market Basket passed on,
things change, and I think that they tend not to
change for the better. What got you down to Pennsylvania
(14:21):
if you were working up here for demoulis you you
were in a the.
Speaker 4 (14:24):
I mean I've called you. I've called you before, Dan,
I'm originally from Salem Man. I'm as Salem kid. I
called you before, and you were you had Scott Lehigh
on a couple of times, not called I Me and
him got close on Facebook, and I know he's writing
a new book, so he's going to send me a copy.
But he's a great guy. But uh no, I married
my golf or sweetheart. So that's what I'm doing out here.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
Okay, all right, So if you don't really have a
dog in the fight, but uh, I think I think
Market Baskets the best grocery store. I used to be
Roach Brothers, and I like Roach Brothers, but Roach and
Roach Brothers is really a good quality store. Uh And
(15:05):
I mean that a great quality store. The fruits and
vegetables there, but Market Baskets right in the same category,
and and again you're in, you're out. They have enough
people there, they haven't They have enough, right, I mean
they have like like twenty checkout lines. Yeah, other stories
have like three checkout lines, and other people are trying
(15:26):
to figure out how to work these kiosks, which is
just a waste.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
Of people's Yeah, it's kind of a pain in the neck.
We got that, like I said about our saying here
in Pittsburgh, Giant Eagle, they're a little more they're a
little higher priced, still like a stopping truck. I mean,
we have all these around here. I know you've heard
of them, all these around the country. But uh, I
missed Market Basket. I missed the and they were very
customer friendly. I always enjoyed working for him. I worked
(15:49):
in the Davis store a few times, and then a
few other stores throughout and that even the one in
Salem House for a while years and years ago. But
they I really missed mister t. Demulas. She was he
was an old school guy.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
A very just minute.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
I just got a question for you, since you probably
know more of the history of it. When did the
they now have I think it's about ninety stores or
some big number. When did they really start to expand
and spread out.
Speaker 4 (16:16):
I think I mean, like maybe in the early nineties
into the mid nineties, because I was still living in
Massachusetts after I got out of the Marine Corps, and
I know, I shot back at the original ones where
I used to work, and I still let friends working
there in baggers, and you could have a nice career
and I could basket if you worked there for a
long time.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
In there a lot of people, a lot of people.
They treat their employees very well for a long time.
They used to shop at a market basket in Ashland, Massachusetts. Uh,
and okay, it wasn't great, and there was another store nearby,
was a Roach Brothers, and I became a Roach Brothers fan.
But now when I found this market Basket in Waltham,
(16:55):
it's right on one twenty eight, so it's not that
hard to get to.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
And I'm familiar with the Yep.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
Yeah, it's ten miles from where I live. But it's
well worth. It's well worth the drive. The savings more
than eats up the gas money. That's that's involved great
right here. Thank you so much, thank.
Speaker 5 (17:12):
You, Thank you God.
Speaker 4 (17:14):
Bless you have a good night.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
Thanks for being such a loyal listener down there in
Pennsylvania for us.
Speaker 4 (17:18):
I PREI you welcome, sir.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
All right, thanks Dave, keep in touch, God bless all right,
good night. Right back at you. We'll take a break.
One line there at six one seven. Well that's just filled. Now.
If you're dialing here getting a busy single, here's here's
the here it is. I got two lines at six
one seven nine three one ten thirty, six one seven,
nine three one ten thirty. Don't go busy. Dial six
one seven nine three one ten thirty and we'll get
(17:40):
you on. Coming back on night Side.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on w B Boston's
news radio.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
All right, we're getting back to the phone calls. Here
six one seven. The only line is six one seven
nine three one ten thirty. We are talking about the fight,
the Demulis family fight, because it's more than just a
family fight. It affects you and me if we're customers.
We're not a member of the family, but it affects
(18:09):
all of us as potential customers. Let's go next to
Mary in andover. I'll bet you Mary is a customer
of Demola's Hi, Mary, how are you tonight.
Speaker 6 (18:19):
I'm good. I'm good. I'm just you know what they're doing,
come road work in the endover and I just go
I'm taking the turn.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
Now, okay, take your time.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
Oh that lane?
Speaker 7 (18:33):
Yeah, okay, I'm going in the wrong lane.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
Tell him you're in the radio. Mary, tell him you're
in the radio.
Speaker 6 (18:38):
I'm on the radio, buddy, Hey, I'm going in reverse.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Tell him Dan tell him. Dan Ray said hi to
all the road crew.
Speaker 7 (18:49):
Okay, great.
Speaker 6 (18:50):
Dan Ray says, hello, he didn't hear me.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
I don't think that's okay. It's the thought that counts.
Are you safe and sound now married?
Speaker 6 (18:58):
Dan Ray says, hello, thank you for your job. Thank you,
thank you. Oh my goodness, thank you.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
That's good.
Speaker 7 (19:05):
Thank you?
Speaker 6 (19:06):
Say about that. I called in because I have to
tell you I was shocked and totally disappointed when I
heard that any member of Artie Teen's family, because I
know all three of his sisters, would bring any kind
of a claim against him. He poured his heart and
soul into that business, and anybody who knows that family
(19:27):
knows that his son. I was in the store up
in and I haven't seen Arty in years, Okay, I
went to high school with him and said, I did
my brothers and sister. But I haven't seen Arty in years.
But I saw a young man and I went up
to him and I said to him, I said, I
know I've never met you, but I want to tell
(19:47):
you I knew your father in high school. And in fact,
my brother and your father were on the front page
of the Laurence Eagle Tribute with my brother blocking him
for a when he would have had the ball and
was running to make a touchdown in a football game
at they had over high. Okay, And I have to
(20:08):
tell you, but Bertie Demolis as a heart of gold,
as did both of his parents. And I can tell
you that because my father was in a horrible accident
and some terrible things happened in our family and his family.
His parents. I don't even know that to this day,
he even knows it. But they came to our house
(20:29):
to offer to my mother anything she needed. They didn't
know us from any.
Speaker 5 (20:34):
I mean, my father died.
Speaker 6 (20:37):
Wow, my you know, my junior year in high school
and Arty was a senior and his parents, his parents
came to the house and offered to help in any
way they could to my offered it to my mother.
You know. Fortunately my mother was a very stupid person.
This was my father and they had made plans as
(20:58):
they should.
Speaker 2 (20:58):
But anyway, well that's a great story. It shows that
shows the quality, it shows the quality of the man Mary,
that's for sure.
Speaker 8 (21:06):
Well.
Speaker 6 (21:06):
And and to his family too. I mean, I have
to say, I don't want to say a bad word
about his sisters because I think they were all nice
people and two of them married guys who went to
high school with all of us, you know, And I'm
just really sorry it's happening. I am praying that they
(21:27):
that they will come to a resolution swiftly and amicably,
and I hope they can bridge this this terrible devind.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
Well, I hope that they. I hope that they keep
Market Basket the great, the great facility that it is.
It serves a lot of people. I think they have
somewhere around ninety sores. And when you multiply ninety stories
by the number of people who are served by that company, uh,
they provide they provide a lifeline for a lot of
families here in New England. So thank you, thanks, thanks
(21:58):
thanks for to thank you for calling, and also thank
you for maneuvering there and and not only multitasking that
being on the radio and and and not getting into
a crash. That's great, right, well.
Speaker 6 (22:11):
My siblings would be telling me I shouldn't be on
the phone.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
When that's okay. You tell your siblings thank you. If
you tell your siblings you made some important points and
you gave us some insights into the Demulas family. Thanks
so much, Miry, we'll talk again.
Speaker 6 (22:26):
What about the family show?
Speaker 2 (22:29):
Thanks for listening. Thanks all right, bye bye, Let me
go to Bill in Boston. Bill, you're next nightside.
Speaker 7 (22:34):
Welcome again, good evening, Thanks very hoighly of you and
your show. A long time admirers. I want to comment,
if I may, about Market Basket and and just the
culture Je Blee years ago, twenty five years ago, I
think came back, came out of the gates and said
they were bringing humanity back to their travel. That was
(22:56):
their slogan. And when we shop at Market we feel
as though we're embraced by a warm culture by a
company that cares about their customers and staff. It reminds
me a lot of the Marriott Corporation and how the
Marriott family had their fingers in the trenches for years
and we're heartbroken by what's going on, and see it
(23:17):
is entirely counterproductive. The challenge is we don't know what's
really going on in the boardroom, so it's hard to
really dissect what's happening. But we're a long time third
generation supporters and I don't know how much you realize it,
but we live in had Over, New Hampshire, and Market
Basket is further north and Warren, and they've got a
(23:39):
footprint now all over New England and people value them
all over New England.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
I think, yeah, I think that the numbers ninety stores,
I might be off a little bit there. I know
they're in New Hampshire. I didn't know if they were
in any of the other New England states. If you
know that, feel free to let me know, Okay, But
it it is. It's there's a lot of people and
it does it well. And I just hope that that
(24:04):
at the end of the day, already De Mulis survives
and in my opinion, in addition to that, the stool
continued to prosper and people continue to receive the great
service that Market Basket provides, great food at reasonable prices
with good service. You can't beat the car.
Speaker 7 (24:22):
You're brilliant. I want to put in a plug from
a forty five year paramedic, you know that and still working.
And I read on the front page of the Bus
and Globe today about the death of the mother of
a five year old who's killed by a drunk driver.
This is prom season. I can't tell you how many
deaths I've seen in forty five years prom season. Ye,
(24:43):
And there's drunk driving phenomena is getting worse and worse
and worse. And I don't know if you've got an
opportunity to bring someone in for Mothers Against Drunk Driving
or someone dedicated to the cause, but it would we'd
be great if you consider it for a future show.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
Yeah, I'd be happy to And you know what, why
don't you? Rob will give you my direct line, give
me a call during the day and if I don't
pick up, I'll call you back and maybe we can brainstorm.
I'm not even sure if Mother's Against drum Driving is
still existing. The woman who died tonight is the is
the woman who was hit the family that was hit
(25:20):
by an alleged drunk driver out in Franklin, Massachusetts. I
believe it was Saturday in which a little girl already died,
and now the moms died. So the dad and the
boy who's I think fourteen years old, they're still alive,
but they know their family has been decimated. And I mean,
(25:41):
it's a horrible story. It's a horrible story.
Speaker 7 (25:44):
Sorry to take you off market basketball.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
No, that's fine, don't hang up, don't hear out.
Speaker 3 (25:51):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
Well, I'm not pets. I thank you for saying that.
But Rob will give you my number. Please call me.
I will call you back and we'll try to we'll
work on something between your knowledge. Thanks and my radio
station will do something that's productive, particularly if you go
in to the superseason. Thank you Bob for the for
joint Bill for joining us.
Speaker 9 (26:08):
Rob.
Speaker 2 (26:08):
Make sure you give Bill my direct line. We'll take
a quick break here on Nightside and we'll come right back.
I got I got full lines. I'm going to get
everyone in. Who's on the line right now, George, John,
Michael and Bob will get you in. I promise coming
back on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (26:23):
You're on Night Side with Dan Ray on wz Boston's
news radio.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
Here. One call dropped off. If you want to jump
on six. We'll get you in, I promise before ten o'clock.
Let's go next to John and Lowe. John Lowe, that's
that's the Mullas Country.
Speaker 9 (26:41):
Go ahead, John, yep, right right. Uh, two hundred jars
from where I work. And Uh, I just want to
say I've worked for a company. I know earlier you
said that you were concerned about rit Uh. The people
I think that we really should be concerned about are
(27:02):
the poor workers. The company I work for and have
worked for for the past twenty five years, has been
bought and sold five times, and this last time was
taken over by venture capitalists, and god forbid, market basket
gets sold to venture capitalists because you know, all they
care about. They don't care about growth. They only care
(27:24):
about getting their money back and making a profit. They
have no interest in in the employees. They don't And
if you look at talk to anybody whose company has
been taken over by adventure capitalists and they'll tell you
the exact same thing. And it's the employees who make
(27:46):
you feel at home, who have a great attitude, and
you know when you look at them and you can
see their name on their tag and the number of
years of service and you can tell you know, people
have been there five years, ten years. You stay with
a company like that for that long because they take
(28:06):
care of you, and if they get taken over by
a venture capitalists, that's all gone.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
Yeah. The reason I'm focused on RDT is I think
that the issue in twenty fourteen very very much was
his insistence on protecting the jobs of the employees. So
I think that he's the key here if he saw
you is sidelined. If he's sidelined, I'm not sure. Maybe
(28:34):
the company will continue with this successful direction or maybe
they won't. And in that situation, that then becomes a
problem not only for the people who go there expecting
to get good quality service, good quality food at a
reasonable price, but also the employee's status will be jeopardized
(28:54):
as well. And I'm concerned for everybody here, and I
just I have no idea what the internal machinations are
between the two sides here and the family, but I
hope that both of them have what's called clean hands,
and whoever survives, they don't exact an ounce of revenge
(29:15):
or a pound of revenge from the people who don't survive.
And I hope that the Jumulis and Market Basket can
continue on as the facility and the institution that we've
come to know and love over the years. So that's
where that's exactly where I am. John. I think we're
saying the same thing, to be.
Speaker 9 (29:31):
Honest with you, Yeah we are.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
Thanks, Thanks you too, John, appreciate you taking the time
to call. Talk soon. All right, let me get I
got two more and I even have room for one
or two more if you want to try to get
in right now. You know the numbers. Let me go
to Bob done and rain and Bob do you have
a market Basket down on the south coast?
Speaker 7 (29:52):
Yeah?
Speaker 8 (29:52):
Dan, actually I have one in my town, and I
actually have one kind of the next town over, and
what's spring you and you know they're there. Obviously there
are some stores. Uh the dollar value is excellent, but
there's even more to that, to what they do to
the community. I mean a lot of kids, you know,
(30:15):
high school kids, college kids work for the for the store.
And not not myself, my son never worked for them,
but I have friends that their kids have worked for them,
and and neighbors as well that have worked for them.
And you know, if the kids have a test or
(30:36):
you know it's uh, yeah, it's test and time or whatever.
The uh. The managers at market Basket accommodate the kids
and say, you know, your studies are more important, and
you know they're just they're just like there's there's things
behind the scenes that they're so great at that people
(30:57):
may not realize. I mean, they're just they wonderful people.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
Well, the other thing, the other thing, my impression is
when I walk into a market Basket, there's there's more
than enough people there to handle whatever might come up.
A lot of grocery stores that I've gone into, try
to find someone in the aisle to ask a question,
they're not around, and you're you're you're you're wasting your time,
(31:22):
which look for any of us, time is money. You're
wasting your time as you try to uh maneuver through
the aisles. It's as simple. It's as simple as that,
you know. And uh uh I just think market Basket
does it upright, uh and uh at so many different
levels and uh we're great.
Speaker 4 (31:43):
I agree.
Speaker 8 (31:44):
Every time I walk in there, you know, there's always
you know, just about everyone has a smile on their
face and there they're more than happy to help you
and yeah, it's just it's uh, it's the best supermarket
I've ever been in in my life.
Speaker 4 (31:59):
That's what the I'm sure I'm with you.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
Hey, Bob, appreciate, appreciate your call is always always great
to your voice. Thanks for joining us.
Speaker 8 (32:06):
Okay, thank you.
Speaker 4 (32:07):
Thanks.
Speaker 2 (32:08):
Let me go next to After Bob, we say good
night to Bob, we go to George and Carlisle. George,
want to get you and one more in George.
Speaker 10 (32:16):
Go right ahead, Hi, how you doing. Thank you for
taking the call, you.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
For calling it.
Speaker 10 (32:21):
I just want you to know that what everybody's talking
about right now about the Mule's family is one hundred
percent trough. People have no idea how kind they are.
They have no idea what they have done for the
community and how much they support. They give away more
money in a day than people could ever dream, not
to take care of people in need. But people have
(32:45):
to understand a few things. Here already is a common
copy of his father. The chain is where it is
today because Mike gave up his life. Alrity has given
up his life, and aw, these kids are working like crazy.
Speaker 7 (33:04):
I think ten years ago, ten.
Speaker 10 (33:07):
Years ago was a disaster. People have to also understand
that when you when you're a man, when you're a
person who has the employees behind you, you have the
vendors behind you, you have the financial world behind you.
(33:30):
They're banking on that person that they just got rid of,
and they bet this bullard that I realized that if
it's going to move forward, they need to put this
behind them and put him back into place where he belongs.
Speaker 2 (33:50):
George, Well, well said, Well said, I could not agree
with you more. You hit the nail right on the head,
and I appreciate you taking the time. I'd like to
get one more Dan.
Speaker 10 (34:01):
One one month. I imparts one other thing, Yeah, the
the level of customer service, the cleanliness, the organization. Everything
that you have to say about market Basket is because
of Mike and Arti and my and Arti is just
(34:22):
doing what his father taught him to do. People have
no idea what a great person Ardi.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
Is, okay, and I think they have a better idea
of it as a result of your call. Thanks George.
I appreciate your your eloquence tonight. Thank you very much.
Good night. Let me go to Dennis and little Dennis.
I got about a minute for you. You got the final
comment on the market Basket Melee, Well.
Speaker 5 (34:47):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 4 (34:48):
Dan.
Speaker 5 (34:49):
As you know, I'm from Lowell. I've been a customer
of Demula's for over sixty years at their second store
in Lowell on Bridge Street. I've known the Demula's family
a little bit, and since I taught it Low High,
I've had hundreds of students that have worked at market Basket.
And you know, they still have to dress up in
a white shirt and a tie and they have to
(35:10):
be customer friendly, yes, And I know hundreds of humanitarian
things they have done so the people of loll in
the surrounding area. Like I said, they even go to
people's houses and give them, you know, checks to take
care of things. I know they paid one lady for
a year because of her illness and stuff. The amount
(35:31):
of humanitarian efforts to churches, and they don't ask for
any recognition about it, but they do it personally. Great
great people. So I'm behind Hot Eat one.
Speaker 2 (35:45):
All right, you got to find I think it's unanimous vote,
that's for sure. Hey, Dennis has always thank you, my friend.
Talk soon, o, Jeff. We had done with de Mulas
for tonight. We'll get back to it periodically. However, however,
on the other side, we're going to talk about that
horrific event in Boulder, Colorado over the weekend and what
can be done to finally stop anti semitism crush it
(36:09):
eliminated here in America. Back on Nightside, right after this
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZY, Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Thank you very much, Dan Watkins. Well, as I think
all of us know, last week, we did touch upon
this ongoing battle with the family members of the Market
Basket ownership team, and I was delighted today to read
a piece in the Boston Globe d one of the
Business section. Was page one of the Business section and
(00:29):
tid to move over Kendall Roy. I'm not a big
succession fan, but the article bought basically draw us the
real life drama, draw us a connection between the real
life drama of the Market Basket. Boardroom is a real
life succession in the mind of Camillo Fonseca, who wrote
the piece for Treadlines. It's a fun read and it
(00:51):
does provide me a lot of insight into what is
going on with Market Basket. So let me first of all,
welcome Camilla fan sake, Yeah, Covintle, thanks for joining us tonight.
I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Thanks for having me. Dan, I'm glad to be here.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Well, I'll tell you I'm not a succession guy, but
you now have intrigued me to probably watch a little
bit of this HBO presentation. I know it's been around
for a while. Tell us about the analogies here. I mean,
this is a sort of the shifting into mural alliances
within the Demoulis family, people switching sides back and forth,
(01:32):
and at this point RDT, who was the hero of
Market basketback in twenty fourteen, now finds himself on the
outside looking in. Give us your sense of it as
you as you I'm sure have talked to some of
the folks that are involved, love to get your take
on it.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Yeah, absolutely. I mean the first thing when we were
in the office and these headlines started started coming out,
everybody was like, oh my gosh, this is just like
an appias of Succession, Because you're right, the sort of
shifting family loyalties have really sort of crystallized the struggle,
you know, for the past several decades, but especially you
(02:13):
know the news that broke last week. So for those
who haven't watched Succession, so much of it is based
around this family sort of Rupert Murdoch esque that run
this media company, which is obviously a very different business
than running a local New England supermarket chain, but the
(02:33):
way that it portrays, you know, all these siblings and
how they form alliances and then they're backstabbing each other.
It makes for a lot of good drama and it
really is in some ways very similar to what we're
seeing with Market Basket, because when RDT de Mulas was
placed on paid leave last week, it was at the
(02:54):
instigation of his three sisters, the same three sisters that
he had allied with in twenty fourteen, back when the
walkouts were all happening. So these were this is the
same side of the family that came together to buy
out the other, the arthur S side of the family
back in twenty fourteen with all the customer boycotts and
(03:17):
the walkout, and for the past ten years, eleven years,
you know, they were supposedly on the same side of
the coin. But I you know, we can see now
that that can change very quickly.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
Well, you know, you have this this situation here. Most
families in New England are anywhere, I guess, have their
own little struggles, their personal struggles. Someone doesn't like Uncle Harry,
someone doesn't like cousin Marie or whatever, all of that
sort of stuff. But the stakes are higher in a
(03:51):
demulis case or in a case of succession. And yet
in the case of Demulis or the Dmula's family and
market basket, it affects a heck of a lot more
people than just the immediate family. It affects everybody who
who's a customer there, who shops there. We all not
(04:13):
only get pulled into the h into the controversy, but
we all, I think, inherently kind of pick what side
we're on, who we're rooting for. I'm rooting for RDT.
I can't tell you why, but I'm rooting for RDT
because I remember ten years ago, eleven years ago, he
(04:34):
seemed to be the guy who was the good guy.
And he has not fundamentally changed the store at all.
It's still the same market basket. That is I think,
you know, customer friendly prices are pretty much better, in
my opinion, across the board the quality of the of
the products. So you know, that's where I'm coming from.
(04:56):
I don't have a dog in the fight of succession,
but I we have a dog in the fight. Did
the market ban? Could people talk to you much about
in anticipation of this? So they're not the most communicative
people in the world, as I understand that with the outside.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Media, they didn't, so they didn't talk to me for
this particular article. You know, they have talked about, you know,
the reasons that they put RDT on paid leave, and
it was because essentially, you know, from what we can assume,
a lot of it has to do with the same
(05:33):
stuff that he was fighting for in twenty fourteen, which
was you know, the levels of employee compensation or employee
benefits and the shopping experience. I would say that that
is probably less of a concern in the board's eyes
because they're saying that a lot of it has to
do with how ARDT is running the company, as in
(05:56):
he's not you know, supposedly he's not taking advice from
the board, he's not letting them in on key decisions
and capital expenditures. So it really, you know, depends on
who you want to believe, I guess, but I mean,
another thing you said is one hundred percent right, is
that you know, people still have such a strong affection
(06:18):
and respect for RDT even after you know, eleven years
after the walkouts that that saw him buy out the
rest of the company with his sisters. You know, he's
still a household name in many parts of New England,
in Massachusetts, So it remains to be seen.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
He's kind of a kind of a folk.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
People have like T shirts with his with his faith
on them, and like like market basket logos that are
are with the market basket named out and the mulus
on them. You know, it's it's something that people really
care about, and certainly that affects a lot of people,
not just shoppers, but but the employees as well. So
you're absolutely right.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Did you develop a sense and again, I know you're
a columnist here, but you're also sometimes in a role
as a reporter. Did you get a sense as to
how long you think this struggle is going, how long
it's going to last, or how it might conclude. Did
you get any sense of that or or.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
I mean, it's really it's really tough to say. I mean,
if you remember back in twenty fourteen, I think that
was you know, several weeks if not months that that
those walkouts and stuff dragged out. And you know, at
this point we're not seeing any like you know, massive
walkouts or customer boycotts so far, but you know, if
(07:44):
that changes, it really is is hard to say. The
board has said that they are they are doing an
investigation into whether Arthur T. De Mulis was planning on
leading a walkout. I think that was part of the
reason that they gave for placing him on paid leave,
because they wanted to have this investigation. And then you
(08:06):
have people in Rdt's camp that are saying that that
is you know, that's complete blowney. You know, so it's
who you believe, and it really is hard to say.
I have no idea. I wish I did, but I
think it doesn't bring a lot of comfort to shoppers.
I'm sure.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
I just highly commend this article today in the in
the Boston Globe. People can get it online. Move over,
Kendall Roy and the subhead is if the market basket
boardroom battle is a real life Succession saga, complete with
family drama and dysfunction, A lot of alliteration from those
sub headline writers. I don't know if they still have
(08:45):
subheadline writers at the Globe, but I.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
Can't take credit for that. But yet, Yeah, they did
a great job with that one.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
It caught my eye, I gotta tell you, and I
I really enjoyed it, and I do appreciate Camelo kind
of coming on and just talking about it because it
gives me a launch pad here for this next next hour.
So I thank you for joining us, and I'm going
to be following you a little bit more closely. And
I did reach out to our mutual friend h and
(09:15):
left her a message, and I hope she's listening great,
and I was able to leave her a voicemail. Okay, Dan,
thanks you Bell Ill appreciate it so much. We'll talk again. Okay,
thanks very much. I enjoyed that conversation. I hope you
did as well. Now the conversation I'm really looking forward
to is yours. This story is just percolating below the headlines. Uh,
(09:40):
And I got to tell you that there will be
a conclusion to this story. I don't know what it is,
the conclusion that I'm concerned about, and I'm not necessarily
rooting for one individual or the other. But the one
individual that I am familiar with, obviously is Arthur T.
(10:02):
I think he's run market Basket remarkably well and one
of the things that I want to see. As an
occasional shopper, I have to get to Wall Fame. That's
my nearest market Basket, and I get there a couple
of times a month, so I'm not the backbone shopper
that maybe some of you are. But one of the
(10:22):
things that makes market Basket attractive to me prices. The
aisles laid out a lot more comfortably than some of
the other stores. It's easy to maneuver. The people are helpful.
The employees are helpful. Many of them are first generation,
but they are great people. They never look at you
(10:44):
like you have two heads. If they don't understand what
you're saying, they will find and another associate to always
try to get your questions answered. And the thing that
is most attractive to me about market Basket is that
when you do check out, you're checking out in a
checkout line with a cashier and in most cases a
(11:05):
bagger as well. Although I like to bag my own groceries,
I have never seen in a market Basket store a
self checkout, automatic, kiosk or whatever you want to call them.
It's as simple as that, because when I go to
the store, I want to feel that I got everything
I needed at a decent price, and that's what market
(11:25):
basket is all about. So I want to find out
who are you rooting for? Because I don't know what
plans the other folks might have for market Basket, But
I'm pretty confident that Arthur t RDT will probably keep
it just the way it is and it will continue
to be a store that I find to be very
(11:45):
comfortable when I go there. Six one seven, two, five
four ten thirty six one seven nine three one ten thirty.
We will talk about this only only until ten o'clock,
because at ten o'clock I am committed to talking about
the incident in the attack, I'm not going to call
it an incident, the attack in Boulder, Colorado on Sunday
(12:07):
six one seven, two five four ten thirty six one
seven nine three one ten thirty. This is personal to me.
I hope it's personal to you, and I hope you
enjoined the conversation. Only lines still open right now. Six
one seven nine three one ten thirty.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
So let's let's talk about market Basket, and uh, I know,
I know what I'm concerned about. I've seen too many
traditional stores change and all of a sudden, there are
fewer and fewer customer service lines, more and more automatic
(12:49):
checkout machines, which I think is a mistake for the stores,
because I think a lot of people can be tempted
about I'm going to ring this up. Maybe I won't
ring that up. Let's get back to the phones. Let's
go to David in Pennsylvania. Dave, do you have market
basket down in Pennsylvania?
Speaker 4 (13:06):
I know, but I'll tell you a story again. I
used to cut me to the original Ta Demolis back
in the late nineteen eighties, around eighty eight, eighty nine,
when the family was still fighting. Yeah, I mean the
old man Ta Demolis, very nice guy. The first school
was in Lowell, of course, you know the Merrimack Valley
area and what do you call it. I used to
(13:28):
know the Suns and I always used to work for
Anthony Athenis too, we know the Athenis family. Great man
but a great guy. Yeah, absolutely, And the same thing
with mister Demolis. So I think they might have known
each other to who knows, you know, in the business cycle.
But they were very all, very nice to work for it. And
(13:49):
we don't have market baskets. Say we got something called
giant eagles. I don't know if you heard a giant
eagle kind of like you're stopping shop back there?
Speaker 2 (13:58):
Yeah, well again stop stop and shop has got bigger
they've gone through. It's no longer owned I think by
the original family. And you know, whenever these you know,
big institutions like a stop and shopper Market Basket passed on,
things change, and I think that they tend not to
change for the better. What got you down to Pennsylvania
(14:21):
if you were working up here for demoulis you you
were in a the.
Speaker 4 (14:24):
I mean I've called you. I've called you before, Dan,
I'm originally from Salem Man. I'm as Salem kid. I
called you before, and you were you had Scott Lehigh
on a couple of times, not called I Me and
him got close on Facebook, and I know he's writing
a new book, so he's going to send me a copy.
But he's a great guy. But uh no, I married
my golf or sweetheart. So that's what I'm doing out here.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
Okay, all right, So if you don't really have a
dog in the fight, but uh, I think I think
Market Baskets the best grocery store. I used to be
Roach Brothers, and I like Roach Brothers, but Roach and
Roach Brothers is really a good quality store. Uh And
(15:05):
I mean that a great quality store. The fruits and
vegetables there, but Market Baskets right in the same category,
and and again you're in, you're out. They have enough
people there, they haven't They have enough, right, I mean
they have like like twenty checkout lines. Yeah, other stories
have like three checkout lines, and other people are trying
(15:26):
to figure out how to work these kiosks, which is
just a waste.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
Of people's Yeah, it's kind of a pain in the neck.
We got that, like I said about our saying here
in Pittsburgh, Giant Eagle, they're a little more they're a
little higher priced, still like a stopping truck. I mean,
we have all these around here. I know you've heard
of them, all these around the country. But uh, I
missed Market Basket. I missed the and they were very
customer friendly. I always enjoyed working for him. I worked
(15:49):
in the Davis store a few times, and then a
few other stores throughout and that even the one in
Salem House for a while years and years ago. But
they I really missed mister t. Demulas. She was he
was an old school guy.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
A very just minute.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
I just got a question for you, since you probably
know more of the history of it. When did the
they now have I think it's about ninety stores or
some big number. When did they really start to expand
and spread out.
Speaker 4 (16:16):
I think I mean, like maybe in the early nineties
into the mid nineties, because I was still living in
Massachusetts after I got out of the Marine Corps, and
I know, I shot back at the original ones where
I used to work, and I still let friends working
there in baggers, and you could have a nice career
and I could basket if you worked there for a
long time.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
In there a lot of people, a lot of people.
They treat their employees very well for a long time.
They used to shop at a market basket in Ashland, Massachusetts. Uh,
and okay, it wasn't great, and there was another store nearby,
was a Roach Brothers, and I became a Roach Brothers fan.
But now when I found this market Basket in Waltham,
(16:55):
it's right on one twenty eight, so it's not that
hard to get to.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
And I'm familiar with the Yep.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
Yeah, it's ten miles from where I live. But it's
well worth. It's well worth the drive. The savings more
than eats up the gas money. That's that's involved great
right here. Thank you so much, thank.
Speaker 5 (17:12):
You, Thank you God.
Speaker 4 (17:14):
Bless you have a good night.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
Thanks for being such a loyal listener down there in
Pennsylvania for us.
Speaker 4 (17:18):
I PREI you welcome, sir.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
All right, thanks Dave, keep in touch, God bless all right,
good night. Right back at you. We'll take a break.
One line there at six one seven. Well that's just filled. Now.
If you're dialing here getting a busy single, here's here's
the here it is. I got two lines at six
one seven nine three one ten thirty, six one seven,
nine three one ten thirty. Don't go busy. Dial six
one seven nine three one ten thirty and we'll get
(17:40):
you on. Coming back on night Side.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on w B Boston's
news radio.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
All right, we're getting back to the phone calls. Here
six one seven. The only line is six one seven
nine three one ten thirty. We are talking about the fight,
the Demulis family fight, because it's more than just a
family fight. It affects you and me if we're customers.
We're not a member of the family, but it affects
(18:09):
all of us as potential customers. Let's go next to
Mary in andover. I'll bet you Mary is a customer
of Demola's Hi, Mary, how are you tonight.
Speaker 6 (18:19):
I'm good. I'm good. I'm just you know what they're doing,
come road work in the endover and I just go
I'm taking the turn.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
Now, okay, take your time.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
Oh that lane?
Speaker 7 (18:33):
Yeah, okay, I'm going in the wrong lane.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
Tell him you're in the radio. Mary, tell him you're
in the radio.
Speaker 6 (18:38):
I'm on the radio, buddy, Hey, I'm going in reverse.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Tell him Dan tell him. Dan Ray said hi to
all the road crew.
Speaker 7 (18:49):
Okay, great.
Speaker 6 (18:50):
Dan Ray says, hello, he didn't hear me.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
I don't think that's okay. It's the thought that counts.
Are you safe and sound now married?
Speaker 6 (18:58):
Dan Ray says, hello, thank you for your job. Thank you,
thank you. Oh my goodness, thank you.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
That's good.
Speaker 7 (19:05):
Thank you?
Speaker 6 (19:06):
Say about that. I called in because I have to
tell you I was shocked and totally disappointed when I
heard that any member of Artie Teen's family, because I
know all three of his sisters, would bring any kind
of a claim against him. He poured his heart and
soul into that business, and anybody who knows that family
(19:27):
knows that his son. I was in the store up
in and I haven't seen Arty in years, Okay, I
went to high school with him and said, I did
my brothers and sister. But I haven't seen Arty in years.
But I saw a young man and I went up
to him and I said to him, I said, I
know I've never met you, but I want to tell
(19:47):
you I knew your father in high school. And in fact,
my brother and your father were on the front page
of the Laurence Eagle Tribute with my brother blocking him
for a when he would have had the ball and
was running to make a touchdown in a football game
at they had over high. Okay, And I have to
(20:08):
tell you, but Bertie Demolis as a heart of gold,
as did both of his parents. And I can tell
you that because my father was in a horrible accident
and some terrible things happened in our family and his family.
His parents. I don't even know that to this day,
he even knows it. But they came to our house
(20:29):
to offer to my mother anything she needed. They didn't
know us from any.
Speaker 5 (20:34):
I mean, my father died.
Speaker 6 (20:37):
Wow, my you know, my junior year in high school
and Arty was a senior and his parents, his parents
came to the house and offered to help in any
way they could to my offered it to my mother.
You know. Fortunately my mother was a very stupid person.
This was my father and they had made plans as
(20:58):
they should.
Speaker 2 (20:58):
But anyway, well that's a great story. It shows that
shows the quality, it shows the quality of the man Mary,
that's for sure.
Speaker 8 (21:06):
Well.
Speaker 6 (21:06):
And and to his family too. I mean, I have
to say, I don't want to say a bad word
about his sisters because I think they were all nice
people and two of them married guys who went to
high school with all of us, you know, And I'm
just really sorry it's happening. I am praying that they
(21:27):
that they will come to a resolution swiftly and amicably,
and I hope they can bridge this this terrible devind.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
Well, I hope that they. I hope that they keep
Market Basket the great, the great facility that it is.
It serves a lot of people. I think they have
somewhere around ninety sores. And when you multiply ninety stories
by the number of people who are served by that company, uh,
they provide they provide a lifeline for a lot of
families here in New England. So thank you, thanks, thanks
(21:58):
thanks for to thank you for calling, and also thank
you for maneuvering there and and not only multitasking that
being on the radio and and and not getting into
a crash. That's great, right, well.
Speaker 6 (22:11):
My siblings would be telling me I shouldn't be on
the phone.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
When that's okay. You tell your siblings thank you. If
you tell your siblings you made some important points and
you gave us some insights into the Demulas family. Thanks
so much, Miry, we'll talk again.
Speaker 6 (22:26):
What about the family show?
Speaker 2 (22:29):
Thanks for listening. Thanks all right, bye bye, Let me
go to Bill in Boston. Bill, you're next nightside.
Speaker 7 (22:34):
Welcome again, good evening, Thanks very hoighly of you and
your show. A long time admirers. I want to comment,
if I may, about Market Basket and and just the
culture Je Blee years ago, twenty five years ago, I
think came back, came out of the gates and said
they were bringing humanity back to their travel. That was
(22:56):
their slogan. And when we shop at Market we feel
as though we're embraced by a warm culture by a
company that cares about their customers and staff. It reminds
me a lot of the Marriott Corporation and how the
Marriott family had their fingers in the trenches for years
and we're heartbroken by what's going on, and see it
(23:17):
is entirely counterproductive. The challenge is we don't know what's
really going on in the boardroom, so it's hard to
really dissect what's happening. But we're a long time third
generation supporters and I don't know how much you realize it,
but we live in had Over, New Hampshire, and Market
Basket is further north and Warren, and they've got a
(23:39):
footprint now all over New England and people value them
all over New England.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
I think, yeah, I think that the numbers ninety stores,
I might be off a little bit there. I know
they're in New Hampshire. I didn't know if they were
in any of the other New England states. If you
know that, feel free to let me know, Okay, But
it it is. It's there's a lot of people and
it does it well. And I just hope that that
(24:04):
at the end of the day, already De Mulis survives
and in my opinion, in addition to that, the stool
continued to prosper and people continue to receive the great
service that Market Basket provides, great food at reasonable prices
with good service. You can't beat the car.
Speaker 7 (24:22):
You're brilliant. I want to put in a plug from
a forty five year paramedic, you know that and still working.
And I read on the front page of the Bus
and Globe today about the death of the mother of
a five year old who's killed by a drunk driver.
This is prom season. I can't tell you how many
deaths I've seen in forty five years prom season. Ye,
(24:43):
And there's drunk driving phenomena is getting worse and worse
and worse. And I don't know if you've got an
opportunity to bring someone in for Mothers Against Drunk Driving
or someone dedicated to the cause, but it would we'd
be great if you consider it for a future show.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
Yeah, I'd be happy to And you know what, why
don't you? Rob will give you my direct line, give
me a call during the day and if I don't
pick up, I'll call you back and maybe we can brainstorm.
I'm not even sure if Mother's Against drum Driving is
still existing. The woman who died tonight is the is
the woman who was hit the family that was hit
(25:20):
by an alleged drunk driver out in Franklin, Massachusetts. I
believe it was Saturday in which a little girl already died,
and now the moms died. So the dad and the
boy who's I think fourteen years old, they're still alive,
but they know their family has been decimated. And I mean,
(25:41):
it's a horrible story. It's a horrible story.
Speaker 7 (25:44):
Sorry to take you off market basketball.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
No, that's fine, don't hang up, don't hear out.
Speaker 3 (25:51):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
Well, I'm not pets. I thank you for saying that.
But Rob will give you my number. Please call me.
I will call you back and we'll try to we'll
work on something between your knowledge. Thanks and my radio
station will do something that's productive, particularly if you go
in to the superseason. Thank you Bob for the for
joint Bill for joining us.
Speaker 9 (26:08):
Rob.
Speaker 2 (26:08):
Make sure you give Bill my direct line. We'll take
a quick break here on Nightside and we'll come right back.
I got I got full lines. I'm going to get
everyone in. Who's on the line right now, George, John,
Michael and Bob will get you in. I promise coming
back on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (26:23):
You're on Night Side with Dan Ray on wz Boston's
news radio.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
Here. One call dropped off. If you want to jump
on six. We'll get you in, I promise before ten o'clock.
Let's go next to John and Lowe. John Lowe, that's
that's the Mullas Country.
Speaker 9 (26:41):
Go ahead, John, yep, right right. Uh, two hundred jars
from where I work. And Uh, I just want to
say I've worked for a company. I know earlier you
said that you were concerned about rit Uh. The people
I think that we really should be concerned about are
(27:02):
the poor workers. The company I work for and have
worked for for the past twenty five years, has been
bought and sold five times, and this last time was
taken over by venture capitalists, and god forbid, market basket
gets sold to venture capitalists because you know, all they
care about. They don't care about growth. They only care
(27:24):
about getting their money back and making a profit. They
have no interest in in the employees. They don't And
if you look at talk to anybody whose company has
been taken over by adventure capitalists and they'll tell you
the exact same thing. And it's the employees who make
(27:46):
you feel at home, who have a great attitude, and
you know when you look at them and you can
see their name on their tag and the number of
years of service and you can tell you know, people
have been there five years, ten years. You stay with
a company like that for that long because they take
(28:06):
care of you, and if they get taken over by
a venture capitalists, that's all gone.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
Yeah. The reason I'm focused on RDT is I think
that the issue in twenty fourteen very very much was
his insistence on protecting the jobs of the employees. So
I think that he's the key here if he saw
you is sidelined. If he's sidelined, I'm not sure. Maybe
(28:34):
the company will continue with this successful direction or maybe
they won't. And in that situation, that then becomes a
problem not only for the people who go there expecting
to get good quality service, good quality food at a
reasonable price, but also the employee's status will be jeopardized
(28:54):
as well. And I'm concerned for everybody here, and I
just I have no idea what the internal machinations are
between the two sides here and the family, but I
hope that both of them have what's called clean hands,
and whoever survives, they don't exact an ounce of revenge
(29:15):
or a pound of revenge from the people who don't survive.
And I hope that the Jumulis and Market Basket can
continue on as the facility and the institution that we've
come to know and love over the years. So that's
where that's exactly where I am. John. I think we're
saying the same thing, to be.
Speaker 9 (29:31):
Honest with you, Yeah we are.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
Thanks, Thanks you too, John, appreciate you taking the time
to call. Talk soon. All right, let me get I
got two more and I even have room for one
or two more if you want to try to get
in right now. You know the numbers. Let me go
to Bob done and rain and Bob do you have
a market Basket down on the south coast?
Speaker 7 (29:52):
Yeah?
Speaker 8 (29:52):
Dan, actually I have one in my town, and I
actually have one kind of the next town over, and
what's spring you and you know they're there. Obviously there
are some stores. Uh the dollar value is excellent, but
there's even more to that, to what they do to
the community. I mean a lot of kids, you know,
(30:15):
high school kids, college kids work for the for the store.
And not not myself, my son never worked for them,
but I have friends that their kids have worked for them,
and and neighbors as well that have worked for them.
And you know, if the kids have a test or
(30:36):
you know it's uh, yeah, it's test and time or whatever.
The uh. The managers at market Basket accommodate the kids
and say, you know, your studies are more important, and
you know they're just they're just like there's there's things
behind the scenes that they're so great at that people
(30:57):
may not realize. I mean, they're just they wonderful people.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
Well, the other thing, the other thing, my impression is
when I walk into a market Basket, there's there's more
than enough people there to handle whatever might come up.
A lot of grocery stores that I've gone into, try
to find someone in the aisle to ask a question,
they're not around, and you're you're you're you're wasting your time,
(31:22):
which look for any of us, time is money. You're
wasting your time as you try to uh maneuver through
the aisles. It's as simple. It's as simple as that,
you know. And uh uh I just think market Basket
does it upright, uh and uh at so many different
levels and uh we're great.
Speaker 4 (31:43):
I agree.
Speaker 8 (31:44):
Every time I walk in there, you know, there's always
you know, just about everyone has a smile on their
face and there they're more than happy to help you
and yeah, it's just it's uh, it's the best supermarket
I've ever been in in my life.
Speaker 4 (31:59):
That's what the I'm sure I'm with you.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
Hey, Bob, appreciate, appreciate your call is always always great
to your voice. Thanks for joining us.
Speaker 8 (32:06):
Okay, thank you.
Speaker 4 (32:07):
Thanks.
Speaker 2 (32:08):
Let me go next to After Bob, we say good
night to Bob, we go to George and Carlisle. George,
want to get you and one more in George.
Speaker 10 (32:16):
Go right ahead, Hi, how you doing. Thank you for
taking the call, you.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
For calling it.
Speaker 10 (32:21):
I just want you to know that what everybody's talking
about right now about the Mule's family is one hundred
percent trough. People have no idea how kind they are.
They have no idea what they have done for the
community and how much they support. They give away more
money in a day than people could ever dream, not
to take care of people in need. But people have
(32:45):
to understand a few things. Here already is a common
copy of his father. The chain is where it is
today because Mike gave up his life. Alrity has given
up his life, and aw, these kids are working like crazy.
Speaker 7 (33:04):
I think ten years ago, ten.
Speaker 10 (33:07):
Years ago was a disaster. People have to also understand
that when you when you're a man, when you're a
person who has the employees behind you, you have the
vendors behind you, you have the financial world behind you.
(33:30):
They're banking on that person that they just got rid of,
and they bet this bullard that I realized that if
it's going to move forward, they need to put this
behind them and put him back into place where he belongs.
Speaker 2 (33:50):
George, Well, well said, Well said, I could not agree
with you more. You hit the nail right on the head,
and I appreciate you taking the time. I'd like to
get one more Dan.
Speaker 10 (34:01):
One one month. I imparts one other thing, Yeah, the
the level of customer service, the cleanliness, the organization. Everything
that you have to say about market Basket is because
of Mike and Arti and my and Arti is just
(34:22):
doing what his father taught him to do. People have
no idea what a great person Ardi.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
Is, okay, and I think they have a better idea
of it as a result of your call. Thanks George.
I appreciate your your eloquence tonight. Thank you very much.
Good night. Let me go to Dennis and little Dennis.
I got about a minute for you. You got the final
comment on the market Basket Melee, Well.
Speaker 5 (34:47):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 4 (34:48):
Dan.
Speaker 5 (34:49):
As you know, I'm from Lowell. I've been a customer
of Demula's for over sixty years at their second store
in Lowell on Bridge Street. I've known the Demula's family
a little bit, and since I taught it Low High,
I've had hundreds of students that have worked at market Basket.
And you know, they still have to dress up in
a white shirt and a tie and they have to
(35:10):
be customer friendly, yes, And I know hundreds of humanitarian
things they have done so the people of loll in
the surrounding area. Like I said, they even go to
people's houses and give them, you know, checks to take
care of things. I know they paid one lady for
a year because of her illness and stuff. The amount
(35:31):
of humanitarian efforts to churches, and they don't ask for
any recognition about it, but they do it personally. Great
great people. So I'm behind Hot Eat one.
Speaker 2 (35:45):
All right, you got to find I think it's unanimous vote,
that's for sure. Hey, Dennis has always thank you, my friend.
Talk soon, o, Jeff. We had done with de Mulas
for tonight. We'll get back to it periodically. However, however,
on the other side, we're going to talk about that
horrific event in Boulder, Colorado over the weekend and what
can be done to finally stop anti semitism crush it
(36:09):
eliminated here in America. Back on Nightside, right after this
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