Brown and Cole is a supermarket chain that operates in various locations in Washington State and the surrounding area. They sell an array of products including fresh produce, fresh meat and canned foods.

History
Brown and Cole were originally established in 1909 making it the oldest supermarket in Washington. However, the company name is not often used anymore, and the company goes by the title “The Markets” which is a banner for a series of other trade names. Some of the trade names include Food Pavilion, Cost Cutter, Food Depot and Save on Food.

The first store to be converted to “The Market” style of supermarket was the branch located in Anacortes. The conventional supermarket merged with a traditional market has been a success as the idea has been welcomed by the general public. They have a department specifically for spices, allowing you to smell the spices before purchasing them for home cooking. They have other sections where the staff cook food in front of you and allow you to take the recipe home with you.

The mission of the company was to make the weekly food shop more fun and enjoyable. The layout of the store allows customer and employee interaction encouraging a high standard of customer service. The market element comes into play with the décor and the fact that all products are locally sourced, each item is marked with a rating showing how local they are to the store.

In 2011, the company is continuing to grow by converting older stores to the new layout and acquiring new stores to add to the chain.

Stats
The company’s customer service team can be contacted at: P.O. Box 9797, Bellingham, WA 98227 – 9797 U.S.A. Other important statistics about the company can be found listed below:

Ownership: The Markets
Public/Private: Private
Mergers: N/A
Number of Stores: 18
Number of Employees: 2100
Annual Revenue: $227.6 million
Geography: Washington
Demographic: Value Shopper
Special Services: N/A
Banners
The Markets
International Market
Food Pavilion
Cost Cutter
Save on Foods
Food Depot
Everson Market
Brands
Flavorite
Homelife
Baby Basics
Wild Harvest Organics
NutriPlan
SuperChill
Culinary Circle
Equiline
Java Delight
Carlita
Shoppers Value