John Alfano’s parents bought Doris Italian Market & Bakery in 1982 when the specialty supermarket had a single location in Broward County.

The family-owned chain opened its second location two years later in Sunrise. Four more stores followed, including a 24,000-square-foot location in North Palm Beach, which opened in the Shoppes at City Centre on U.S. 1 last year.

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Alfano is president of four of Doris’ stores, including the North Palm Beach location. His brother, Joe, heads the other locations.

Although the chain got its start in Broward, John Alfano said many of its North Palm Beach customers were already familiar with the markets.

“We found a lot of people live in the area who use to live in Broward, Alfano said.

The North Palm Beach location is Doris’ largest store. It features a butcher shoppe, bakery, extensive wine selection, gourmet specialty groceries and fresh produce.

Name: John Alfano

Age: 51

Hometown: Hackensack, N.J.

Where you live now: Coral Springs

About your company: Doris Italian Market & Bakery, proudly serving generations of families in South Florida since 1947, is South Florida’s premier specialty supermarket featuring top quality fresh meats, authentic Italian-American deli, farm fresh fruits and vegetables, seafood department with daily fresh offerings, Italian-American bakery with an assortment of goods baked daily, a complete catering service offering premium selections, wine department featuring a collection of wines from around the world and gourmet specialty groceries used for the finest recipes. We have six convenient locations throughout Broward and Palm Beach counties. Customers enjoy a comfortable shopping experience with personal customer service and very competitive prices of top quality foods.

How your business has changed: As with most businesses technology is the biggest change. Social media plays an important role for us. What we sell is visual — fresh vegetables, fruits, pastries, meat, seafood as well as prepared foods ready for lunch or dinner. We can tell that story through social media. Then there’s the business side of technology that allows us now to control inventory, place orders and utilize production tools. I also think the grocery shopping experience has changed. We have to be more mindful of the customer experience within our stores and we have to meet their needs each and every day. Not surprisingly, it’s a very competitive environment.

First paying job and what you learned from it: When I was 14 I got my first job at a supermarket in New Jersey called Valley Fair, where my dad worked as a meat manager. I think working at a young age was extremely valuable because I developed a good work ethic and responsibility.

First break in the business: My parents, who emigrated from Sicily, bought the original Doris Italian Market store when it was just a meat market and deli. They enlisted me at a young age to help run and manage that store with 12 employees. Today, Doris Market has over 350 associates across six locations.

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Best business book you ever read: Shoe Dog by Phil Knight

Best piece of business advice you ever received: Take chances. I’ve never been afraid to take chances. If I had been, we wouldn’t be where we are today.

What you tell young people about your business: It’s more than just about the physical location. It’s about building relationships, customer service and the customer experience. We are in a business where people want to know you care. Our staff know our customers by name. In an era that is filled with technology, making a personal connections goes a long way.

What do you see ahead for Palm Beach County? We see tremendous opportunity in Palm Beach County, that’s why we opened our largest location. The population is growing and the business climate is ripe for continued growth. We want to become the go-to grocery experience that’s why you can come to our story and enjoy homemade gelato and pizza or any of our prepared dishes while dining on our outdoor patio and take in a game of bocce ball. Or you can enjoy a taste of one of our fine wines while you grocery shop.

Where we can find you when you are not at the office: Spending time with my family. Working in a business that operates 362 days a year with only Christmas, New Year’s Day and Easter off, it’s really important to spend quality time with my family.

Favorite smartphone app: Waze, it’s a huge help when I’m traveling to my stores throughout South Florida.

What is the most important trait you look for when hiring? Someone who understands customer service.

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