Serving neighbors: Where good vibes are the shopping norm

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Paul Dean
  • 97th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Spending money seems a little easier when the cashier knows your name. It's great to have a butcher you can trust. Produce managers who know a good melon are hard to find. It's really nice when the person asking if there's anything they can do to help is genuine. Shopping at the Altus Air Force Base Commissary really is something a lot of people like to do. All true!

Altus, Okla., is a small community compared to those around many other military installations. And this small-town, Oklahoman hospitality is reflected in the atmospherics of the base commissary. "It's not unusual for customers to chat, to talk to one of the employees for a minute or two," said Mr. Drew M. Peach, commissary director at Altus. "A lot of the [customers and employees] here are on first name basis. And that's because they are friends and neighbors," he said. This positive relationship makes shopping and working at the commissary something many in Altus appreciate.

"It's going to be tough to give this [job] up," said Mr. Tomas Sanchez, a store associate who attends school full time and works at the commissary part time. Mr. Sanchez will soon complete a radio technology educational program and will then be looking for full time employment in that field. "This has been a really great place to work," he said. "The customers, my coworkers, everybody is just really friendly and great to be around." The store managers have been part of his educational success, scheduling his work hours around his school commitments, he said.

Ms. Alicia Martinez is also a commissary associate. She seems to take great joy in her position as a cashier. Ms. Martinez--an effervescent young lady--has a continuous, contagious smile: customers moving through her line inevitably catch the positive vibe and engage in pleasant chat and laughter while she somehow works a cartful of groceries through the register seemingly before a minute ticks by. "I love being here, interacting and talking to the customers," said Ms. Martinez. "Up here-- in front--I get to watch everybody smile and be a good employee at the same time."

"The employees are uniformly friendly [at the Altus commissary]," said Mrs. Stacye Bruckbauer, who recently transferred to Altus from Luke AFB, Ariz. In addition to the friendly feel of the store Mrs. Bruckbauer appreciates the quality of the products in stock. From organic dog food to fresh breads and international products, she seems more than happy with the offerings at a smaller commissary: great service and great products.

Mrs. Holli Hurst, an Altus commissary customer for 13 years, makes the trip from town at least once a week, even though it means having to go through base security procedures, she said. "I like to shop here because I'm not treated like just a customer; I'm a neighbor here," she said.

The positive spirit of the commissary faces the same dangers as other retail establishments this time of year. But although employees and customers realize the holiday rush means added stress for each of them, shopping and working at the commissary appears to be an oasis.

Most of the commissary employees are part time and look forward to extra work hours to earn money for holiday spending, said administrative assistant to the store director, Ms. Lori Berter. Employee work schedules are already reflecting the added labor needed to make sure shelves and coolers are full, registers are staffed with smiling faces, and tips-only baggers are ready to help get all the extra goodies safely loaded into vehicles. These extra hours away from home are offset by camaraderie among coworkers and positive gestures from store management.

The commissary, usually closed each Monday, opened Monday of Thanksgiving week to better serve customers and allow employees to spend Thursday and Friday (when the commissary was closed) with family and friends. "I think it's really important that we let our employees have two days in a row to spend with their families," said Ms. Berter.


Commissary managers are also providing two opportunities for employees to get together and celebrate this holiday season. They will be putting on both Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for their most valuable assets.

The atmosphere of the Altus commissary reflects the personality of the community it serves: Oklahoma is known for its hospitality and the down-to-earth folks who seem to always offer a smile and a "Howdy." The commissary is a place where neighbors serve neighbors, people know your name, and where "Hi. Can I help you ma'am," isn't something Mr. Peach asks because he has to. He wants to.