I visited two businesses lately that literally turned my head around. One is a supermarket, the other is a bank branch.

Walking in the front doors of Bristol Farms, it hits you: Where are the checkout stands? Well, they’re not where you expect them. They’re way over to the left side of the market. You can barely see them. So, thanks to inspired layout, you’re exposed to the long bakery counter, the hot deli line, the indoor-outdoor café and other temptations before you even get to the dairy, meat and produce departments.

This is a great way to encourage shoppers to move them where you want them to go. Even if they don’t stop at the bakery or deli, they can’t avoid knowing that they’re there. As their website puts it, “…customer traffic flow is directed through the stylized layout to maximize customer exposure to the full range of Bristol Farms products. Finally, all merchandise is meticulously arranged by what the company calls ‘merchandising artistry.’ The produce is hand placed and shelf items are always fully stocked and neatly stacked.”

I can think of a few other markets that don’t have the checkout stands up front, such as Trader Joe’s. But Bristol Farms really has it nailed. You can see for yourself on their virtual tour. Throw in helpful, knowledgeable staff, superb lighting and wide, well-stocked shelves, and you’ve got a supermarket chain that’s super when it comes to marketing.

The bank branch is in a Washington Mutual financial center. The first thing that hits you here is: Where are the teller windows? Well, there aren’t any. In their place are freestanding pods that seem to sprout from the carpet. You can just walk right up to the teller and conduct your transactions on the pod’s large, flat surface. Everything you or the teller needs is there in well-positioned bins, cubbyholes, drawers and cabinets.

The pods are pretty far apart from each other. I asked the teller if she minded being away from her co-workers and so close to her customers. She said it took a little getting used to, but everyone seems to have adjusted. It’s sort of the “open office” concept but everyone’s standing up instead of sitting at their desks. Because customers interact with WAMU’s heralded staff, with no glass or counter separating them, the entire experience is more personalized. Which is exactly the image this large financial institution wants you to have.

It’s good to get your head turned around once in a while. It can make you think about ways to turn your retail store’s design and layout around for the better.