"Business as usual" at Staples for the time being

THE new owners of Staples – the nationwide office supplies retailer that has a store in Stratford-upon-Avon – told the Herald today (Monday) that for the time being it was “business as usual”.

A spokeswoman for Hilco Capital said that the managements of Staples and Hilco were currently in discussions to work out a plan for the “success of the business”.

But she confirmed that the brand name of Staples – which is a prominent feature of the Maybrook Industrial Estate on Birmingham Road, Stratford – would disappear and be replaced by another name which was yet to be decided.

At the moment the future of the Stratford store is uncertain. There are a total of 106 stores throughout the country employing more than 1,000 staff – which on average works out at fewer than ten per store.

She pointed out that HMV, a previous acquisition of Hilco, had remained in the High Street. However, the HMV shop in Stratford was among those that closed.