Case Study: Woodstock's Pizza

1000 Higuera St.
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Phone: (805) 541-4420
Fax: (805) 541-2039

SLO Restaurant:

General Manager: Jeff Lafranchi
Operations Manager: Mike Swift

Company Description

Woodstock's Pizza came to San Luis Obispo in 1980. Second, in a chain of five pizza restaurants starting in Corvallis, Oregon, Woodstock's SLO offered a fun atmosphere for college students to "hang out" and enjoy quality handmade pizza. Woodstock's quickly became a community favorite, and has won numerous awards including "Best Pizza of San Luis Obispo" 15 times by The New Times Readers' Poll and the "Award of Quality" by the National Academy of Restaurant Evaluation. After 24 years, they continue to put the same special care into each pizza they make and give their customers the attention that keeps them coming back time after time.

Philosophy on Diversity

Woodstock's Pizza believes that diversity has never been an issue of discussion when hiring employees. "For the most part, our employees are college students and are very accepting of people of all races and genders," says General Manager Jeff Lafranchi. "We have never sought out "token" employees, but we would gladly hire any qualified enthusiastic person, regardless of what they looked like." Woodstock's recognizes that providing a diversity-friendly environment is very important to the growth and success of their company as well as to the loyalty of their customers.

Diversity Implementation

Woodstock's Pizza has brought diversity into their organization in a very special way. A current employee, Lee Anderson has been working for Woodstock's for seven years. Anderson is 42 years old and was diagnosed with Williams Syndrome at an early age. Williams Syndrome is a rare genetic condition that causes many medical and developmental problems including heart and blood vessel problems, an excessively social personality, and developmental decay. "In a sense," says Lafranchi, "Lee is an eight-year-old trapped in an older woman's body."

Anderson came to Woodstock's in 1997 through a nonprofit organization called The Friendship School, which offers a "work in training" program for the disabled. Participants in the program are given job coaches who accompany them to work each day until they feel comfortable with the duties that the job entails.

Lafranchi was apprehensive with hiring Anderson at first, but was willing to give it a try. "We had to make small modifications here and there because of her disabilities," says Lafranchi, "But we worked it out, and now, I can't imagine the place without her." Anderson is described as a fixture at Woodstock's and can usually be found bussing tables, laughing, and talking with customers or looking at the sports section of the newspaper during her breaks. "I love the pictures," she says, "I wish there was a newspaper with only pictures."

Results

Woodstock's Pizza is very proud of its special employee, Lee Anderson, and feels that she brings a certain element to Woodstock's that other companies don't have. Anderson also encourages other companies in the area to hire mentally disabled people who are in need of work. "Not a lot of companies give disabled people a chance," she says, "I think they should."

By creating a diverse work environment, Woodstock's Pizza feels that they are generating a positive public perception. They also feel that their other employees benefit from this environment as much as Lee does.