Porter Square Shaw's renamed back to Star Market. (Why?)

[ron_newman]

Some time this week, the Porter Square Shaw's turned back into a Star Market. Is the parent chain preparing to undo the 1999 merger of Shaw's and Star?

Comments

[crs.livejournal.com]

Well, Shaw's got bought by Albertsons a while back, maybe they're just going back to the local branding for familiarity or something.

[ethanfield.livejournal.com]

The one on Beacon Street never changed from Star Market to Shaw's. I think this is also true of the ones in Arlington Heights and on Mt. Auburn St in Watertown.

[ron_newman]

? there isn't a Star or Shaw's in Arlington at all.

(and the Mount Auburn Street store is in Cambridge, though just barely)

[ethanfield.livejournal.com]

My bad on Arlington. Just looked and the MIT/Sidney Street Star Market is also still branded as such.

We call the Mt. Auburn Street one the "Satanic Star Market" because of the upside down star (http://goo.gl/maps/4ii5d)...

[jadelennox]

The one in Watertown is even still attached to an Osco. It's old school.

[pryder]

So far as I know there is no Star Market in Watertown; you're probably thinking of the one on Mount Auburn St in Cambridge, which is very close to the borders of both Watertown and Belmont. That's Star Market #1, so it's no surprise it's old school.

[miss-chance.livejournal.com]

Hah! I never managed to get used to calling it Star!

[serious-noir.livejournal.com]

Mmm...well they have tarted it up with mood lighting and trés cool aisle names (!) written with a chi chi font but it is still more expensive than Market Basket for exactly the same products. I guess some people are moved by a "theatrical" grocery shopping experience but most of us are just concerned about price and quality. (they do have good folks at the deli counter, so that's nice).

Will the taint of Shaw's be washed away by retro-naming to Star? Sure. Why not. Whatever. I will continue to shop at Market Basket where, at least if someone bumps into you, they will look you in the eye and excuse themselves rather than the too-cool-for-school urbanite behavior at Shaw's...I mean Star.

[mindstalk.livejournal.com]

Some people are moved by pedestrian proximity and later hours, but I guess it's harder to sneer about those.

[pekmez.livejournal.com]

How about by paying half as much for your groceries by figuring out how to get there at a time when they're open?
Not paying all those night shift cashiers and the higher rent at all. Even if I have to take a bus with a granny cart, I will go to Market Basket.

[mindstalk.livejournal.com]

"half"?

Yes, one can do that if one values the lower prices. If you value your own time and aggravation more, one can go to the local more expensive places. Both are valid. *I* wasn't looking down on anyone, I was responding to gratuitous sneering.

[serious-noir.livejournal.com]

It wasn't gratuitous at all – it was heartfelt sneering.

I had a wake up moment about the pre-debacle Shaw's pricing after stopping in to Market Basket to buy a few things, including a 1 lb package of Dragone Mozzarella cheese for family pizza night. It cost $3.99. I was in Shaw's later that evening because I needed a bit more and saw it was selling there for $5.99. Same. Exact. Product.

Was always aware that Shaw's cost "more" but figured it was on the order of cents per product, not dollars.

[pekmez.livejournal.com]

If I'm going to the supermarket to get a week's worth of groceries rather than one or two forgotten items, but I still need a specific list of items that includes dairy, crackers and cereal, some small amount of organic produce, toilet paper, and english muffins, I really would probably pay close to 2x at Shaw's as at Market Basket - same amount of groceries at MB for $50 as at shaw's for $100 would not suprise me at all.

I don't find shopping at Market Basket to be a time challenge except for the location requiring either a car (which I tend to want while getting a lot of groceries anyway) or more transportation efforts. I do have the flexibility to go on a weekday at 9am most of the time, but I've gone on weekends and holidays too after carefully honing my l33t market basket skillz ;-) I can be in and out perfectly quickly, and I find that while it's crowded, people are friendly and respectful, the staff actualy care about doing their jobs, and there are often interesting unusual groceries to add to my basket for creative inspiration.

Transportation wise, I haven't actually used a granny cart, but last spring I tried zipcar, my bike trailer, and the bus with a child, a stroller, and a whole lot of bags hung off the handles and shoved in the basket below. The bus was awkward, but it's also "public" transportation and just because I'm trying to take my groceries home on it does not mean I should be barred from using it rather than polite in asking for fellow travelers forbearance, in my opinion.

[pywaket.livejournal.com]

Same here. I've found that a bike trailer and 2 panniers is enough to carry a few weeks worth of stuff, and paying half the price of Shaws makes it worth it. Plus, when someone at MB accidentally hits you with their cart, they actually apologize instead of not even noticing that they've done so because they're too intently looking at the screen of their iThing as happens all the time at Shaws.

And even though it's a total zoo at 8pm on a weekday, the competence and cluefulness of the staff and customers make it not really all that bad.

[mindstalk.livejournal.com]

Sure, that all works. I tend to go shopping by walking to the store as needed, European style, so it's a different mode. Costs more money, saves more time.

Though Boston groceries look so expensive that I actually bike further, to Trader Joe's for more bulk purchasing a lot of the time. MB would be closer but TJ's probably competitive and open later and has its own neat stuff. Also easier to get to by T in bad weather, vs. waiting for the infrequent bus down Somerville.

[ron_newman]

I took a granny cart on the #77 bus a few times (coming from Shaw's, not Market Basket). I felt like I was in everyone's way, and didn't want to do it anymore.

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

ELITIST SHAWS-SHOPPING SCUM

[maclou.livejournal.com]

lol this post is ridiculous

[pryder]

Shaw's and Star was always a shotgun marriage anyway. They were two chains with very different market positioning; Star was about upscale groceries and prepared foods, Shaw's was about heavy emphasis on store brands. The Shaw's management ruined most of what was good about Star Market and the problems didn't get fixed during two later ownership changes; Shaw's was bought by Albertsons, which in turn was bought by SuperValu. Maybe the change back is a sign that their latest owners, Cerberus Capital Management, are going to try to return the Star stores to their former strengths.

[wkathym.livejournal.com]

I have certainly seen a few improvements in Shaw's/Star in Porter Sq. Produce seems fresher and the prices have gotten a bit lower. I used to hate shopping there -- now it's tolerable. I do love Market Basket, but only if I can get there during the weekdays to avoid the mad crush.

[intuition-ist.livejournal.com]

i avoid market basket for that very reason. and there are only limited hours that I'm willing to approach the Porter Square parking lot. Combine rude drivers with oblivious pedestrians and runaway carts...no thanks.

[emcicle.livejournal.com]

I've always called it star and never really noticed they actually changed the signage to shaw's. Shows how much I pay attention!

[londo.livejournal.com]

I think this happened prior to this week. I wonder if it's related to the aisle reshuffling going on there.

[mzrowan.livejournal.com]

There have been lots of changes happening inside the store for some time, but the signs only changed this week.

[redcolumbine.livejournal.com]

I went there last night - they have classical rather than pop music, a less congestion-provoking layout along the back, not using a loyalty card any more, and they have events posted for nearly every single day of November. Lots of tastings tomorrow (Sunday 11/3) all over the store, so if you want to have a look, that might be a good time to do it.

[rethcir.livejournal.com]

Market Basket will always have the best soundtrack. Heavy mix of 80's Adult Contempo, Hall and Oates, Police, Collins, Joel etc.. It was hipster before there were hipsters in there.

[redcolumbine.livejournal.com]

Punctuated with "Attention shawpas! Y'not gonna wanna miss out on this bahgain!" and "Patricia? Patricia, can you give Raoul a hand up heah? Thanks."

[chenoameg.livejournal.com]

And "Elvis is in the building"

[wkathym.livejournal.com]

Went there today. It's really changed for the better. Could not recognize the place. I never liked to go there before because too expensive and crappy produce and meat section. That has all appeared to have changed. I spoke with one of the managers and they said they are still working on improving everything. I have not compared all prices, but I do know that the quality of the produce has improved, and the meat section has greatly improved (there is now a butcher area). And lots of new items available. Although (the newly named) Star Market is convenient for me, in the past I avoided it and shopped at Whole Foods for their quality produce (I don't necessarily buy only organic), and I do like Market Basket for produce, but not crazy about their meat.

I don't necessarily shop for food at rock bottom prices, but do want to get quality for my dollars. Whole Foods is pricey; Market Basket is cheap (but lacking in meat products and other stuff). The new layout is making Star Market a pleasant place to shop now. I am a fan.

[teko.livejournal.com]

I asked a few employees there about the rebranding, and they said that it was their understanding that all of the existing Shaw's stores are set to be remodeled in this fashion, and as they're remodeled, will all be renamed Star Market.