Market Basket
Opened: ca. 1979
Welcome to one of the very few Market Baskets in the immediate Boston area! For the chain's dominance in many of the suburbs, they have almost no presence in the more urban areas. This Somerville location is one of only three close to Boston -- the other two are in Chelsea, which we'll see shortly, and the far western side of Waltham. Market Basket doesn't have any stores within the city of Boston, and I don't know whether they ever did. Groceteria says that several Market Baskets did exist within Boston, but it's unclear to me whether they're the same company. If I'm not mistaken, this company was still called DeMoulas at the time those Market Baskets are listed.
At 48,000 square feet, this store isn't exactly small. But it's definitely smaller -- and older -- than the chain's typical stores. It dates back to 1979, not that different in age from Chelmsford, for instance. But we'll see the store looks a little different inside.
And outside! The exterior still has what I believe is the original neon sign. It looks great lit up.
But you can tell it's older from the setup. The first aisle has dairy and cheese in a significantly smaller setup instead of the typical double-aisle with a large cheese island at the back.
Apologies for the terrible picture. The deli counter is at the back of the first aisle with the meat department lining the rest of the back wall. I don't believe this store has a service meat, seafood, or bakery counter. In fact, I don't think there's an in-store bakery here.
Cold cuts are in the first aisle.
To a certain extent, I wonder why this store has gotten so little love over the years. It's clean and generally well-maintained, but even an older store like Chelmsford has gotten the bakery and prepared foods department. It definitely doesn't seem to be related to underperformance, since this store seems to be extremely busy. But that might in and of itself be the issue -- if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Why spend all the money on a renovation when the store's already doing fine?
Straightforward grocery aisles that are very clean and well-stocked, like a typical Market Basket. Even these older stores are in good shape.
Frozen foods on the right side of the store.
And produce is in the last aisle on the right side of the store. 17 aisles in total, including produce and dairy.
For those who are unfamiliar, Market Basket has its own storebrand (called simply Market Basket), and that includes nonfoods, HABA, and organics.
Bread and ice cream are in this area, but no bakery. Typically, the bakery department would be at the front of the produce department.
A look across the front-end...
Owner: DeMoulas family
Previous Tenants: none
Cooperative: none
Location: 400 Somerville Ave, Somerville, MA
Photographed: February 22, 2020
You couldn't tell how old the store is from its decor or interior design, that's for sure. This nearly 50-year-old store looks cosmetically the same as a brand-new one.
We're just about a quarter of a mile here from our next stop, a small independent Asian market at Somerville's Union Square. Check it out tomorrow!
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