If something's wrong, it's everybody's problem. So we work very hard to hire friendly, energetic people-people who care about people, and take pride in what they can do for them. Indeed, in 1995 Bristol Farms made each staff member a real owner in the company through a stock option program that is unique in the industry. Department directors have been known to go to the other side of the world for a special product. The Director of Specialty Foods recently scoured Europe for some of the world's best olive oils and the Produce Director has flown in tomatoes from Holland, onions from Maui and pineapples from Tahiti.
Quality is as important as variety.
Many customers feel that these food items are of such superior quality that competitors' products are not considered ready substitutes. Atmosphere Bristol Farms' stores have been carefully designed and decorated to create a singular shopping experience that evokes the local area. For example, the Manhattan Beach store features murals depicting the coastal city in the 1930's and the Mission Viejo store evokes images of nearby Mission San Juan Capistrano. The wine area, with its four walls, wine racks, and roof trellis, resembles a specialty wine boutique. Additionally, customer traffic flow is directed through the stylized layout to maximize customer exposure to the full range of Bristol Farms products.