A Story for Labor Day

Athanasios (Arthur) and Efrosini Demoulas opened a neighborhood grocery store in Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1916.  Being Greek immigrants, they specialized in lamb.  Eventually DeMoulas Market grew into a 71 store chain in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine.

Interestingly enough, this chain, Market Basket (that's pronounced "mahket basket") was run by two cousins, each named Arthur Demoulas.  Earlier this summer, Arthur S. tried to force out Arthur T.  Bad move.  Arthur T. was beloved by his (non-union) employees, and they revolted.  Store workers and store managers both walked out and refused to work unless Arthur T. was reinstated.  In doing so they put their jobs in jeopardy.  It's hard to imagine workers feeling this way about their boss, so I guess he must have been doing something right.

It's a rare and inspiring story of management and employees working together, for the good of all (not just shareholders), which you can hear more abouthere, and read more about here.  (By the way, be sure to read not only the article -- an opinion piece in theDaily Collegian, the daily paper at the University of Massachusetts -- but also the comments afterward.)