Even Congress Notices Market Basket Fracas

For many Franklin and Medway shoppers, the Market Basket loyalty runs deep, as it does for this member of Congress originally from Lowell.

An Open Letter to the Market Basket Board:

I’m still grappling with this morning’s news that Market Basket has terminated Arthur T. Demoulas – Artie T., to those of us who’ve spent our lives shopping in Demoulas stores.

For me, Market Basket has never been just a grocery store. It’s part of my DNA. Growing up in Lowell, it wasn’t just where we bought groceries – it was where life happened. Some of my earliest memories are of being hoisted into a shopping cart as my mom navigated the crowded aisles and met up with neighbors. I can still feel the chill of the dairy aisle’s cold air on my bare legs as we grabbed a gallon of milk, and the taste of the American cheese slice handed to us at the deli as a small but perfect reward for waiting for our number to be called.

Those trips weren’t just errands – they were rituals that taught me what community feels like, what hard work looks like, and how far a dollar can go when a company truly cares about the people it serves.

Artie T., his children, and his executive team have always been the stewards of that experience. Under his leadership, Market Basket stayed true to its mission: treating workers well, keeping prices fair, and creating a store where everyone – no matter where they’re from or how much was in their wallet – could feel like they belonged. That wasn’t just good business; it was a moral stance.

That’s why this moment hurts. Market Basket is more than its parquet floors and salmon-colored tile. It’s the checkout line where every customer is treated with respect, the ties on the baggers that remind us that dignity matters in every job, the Chelmsford Golden Ginger Ale that tastes like childhood. It’s the one place that feels steady, familiar, and ours – even as the world outside those automatic doors spins faster and gets more expensive.

Losing Artie T. feels like losing part of that. And as a Lowell native who grew up with Market Basket as a constant, I’m asking the board to remember what this company means to the people who love it. To remember the generations of employees and customers who stood by Artie in 2014 – and who still stand by him today.

I don’t know what Market Basket will look like in the years ahead. But I hope it will still be the place where a kid can ride in the cart while their parents shop, trusting they’re getting the best prices – and feeling, even in that moment, that they’re part of something bigger.

Because Market Basket isn’t just a grocery chain. It’s a cornerstone of who we are.

Sincerely,

Lori Trahan

MA 3rd Congressional District