The Publix I have been to have been clean and bright.
But Market Basket is a combination of just that early Winn-Dixie family environment you describe: employees get paid more with more opportunity to advance, yet prices are better than elsewhere. No unionization and a sense of ownership among the employees. Yet, Market Basket is also close to a Whole Foods/regular supermarket hybrid with the level of its fresh produce, baking, specialty foods, etc.—while also beating regular supermarkets on price.
“Bad Arthur”, whom the employees, customers, and “Good Arthur” are fighting, is that next generation of worthless kids looking to strip the store and cash out.
The way I look at both are bad in their own way. This all started because Arthur T. personally bought some land some future stores were going to located on. He then resold it at a profit to the company. When the woman who had the 2% ownership that balanced everything between the two she flipped and Arthur T. was booted out.
So, he messed up, I hope it was worth it. I don’t see nybody winning here. The employees will all lose their jobs and the chain will eventually fold. If it goes any other way I will be quite shocked.