I just finished reading all the reviews and while most of them were positive and well deserved, a…read morecouple of things stood out that I think deserve some comment. Before I get to them I want to jump on the bandwagon and say Rob and Jannette (the owners) are some of my favorite people now. I park my car in the garage across the street from them and feel a gravitational pull to the market every time I park. I sometimes go in there with no need and no idea why I'm going in and walk out with something special. Now to the complaints (which were few but shouldn't go unchallenged).
First, some complained that the prices are high. That's true, as well as inevitable at such a small scale. I know the owners aren't becoming rich via this venture. If you're the type of person that only considers prices when forming a value statement, you might be better off going to BJ's.
For me, value is a complex calculation that doesn't actually result in something that you can put a dollar sign in front of. I live in the neighborhood so convenience is a factor. The selection, in particular the beer and wine choices, is something that I literally can't find at any other grocery store nearby, thanks to the invisible Puritans in my state that voted down a referendum to allow grocery stores to sell beer and wine. Much of what's available is sourced locally.
More important than those, and something that I saw in many reviews, is the wonderful relationship I have with the owners. I can't even walk past the place without a friendly wave from them. They know their products and are happy to answer questions about them. And they know me. They know I try to only eat vegan foods, their amazing Muffaletta sandwich being a notable exception. They know I'm allergic to chocolate. As a regular customer, I get special treatment from them. Try THAT at Market Basket! Just this morning, I ran out of turmeric and ran to the market. They didn't have it on the shelf, but they had it in the kitchen. Rob got me what I needed and refused to take my money. What's something like that worth to you?
I also saw some people complain that the produce can be on the edge of spoilage. I can't deny that there have been times when I purchased things only to have them inedible the next day. I understand that this is just normal for a small, owner-operated grocery store with moderate turnover and minimal staff. But instead of writing them off, I alert them when I think something in the display fridge should be removed. Also, I don't stock my refrigerator from MSM. I buy what I need when I'm going to use it and inspect it before putting it my shopping basket. In other words, I don't attempt to treat them like a tiny Hannaford. I treat them like an amazing pantry, which is easy for me since they're in the neighborhood.
Before the MSM opened the city conducted a survey among downtown residents that attempted to figure out what types of businesses people would most like to have appear in the neighborhood. A small grocer was at the top of most resident's preferences. I'd like to remind people that now that we have one, we'd better use it... or we'll lose it. I'd also add that whatever problems may exist at MSM, they'll only get better if we reach out to them the way they've reached out to us.
