Staples opens 6 reimagined, community-forward stores
Staples has reimagined six Boston-area stores as a community-focused format called Staples Connect, with the stores featuring branded, exclusive spaces that include a coworking office, podcast studio and meeting room.
Staples told Store Brands that the locations will carry an updated assortment of merchandise, too, with nearly 1,000 new products and 40 new brands, including items from the company’s three own brands that they launched last year: Tru Red, NXT Technologies and Perk.
Tru Red specializes in pens, notebooks, shredders, organizational accessories and other products deemed as business essentials. NXT Technologies products include surge protector outlets and technology solutions, and Perk products fall under quality breakroom needs like paper cups, plates, bath tissue, hand sanitizer and more.
But somewhat of a store brand in its own right, the new formats offer exclusive services to customers, including Staples Studio, a coworking space that’s ideal for small businesses and freelancers with a kitchen, meeting room, shared offices, an onsite manager and more.
Additionally, the stores have the Staples Connect Podcast Studio complete with a soundproof room and professional equipment for up to four people to record a podcast. There’s an onsite worker to help with that studio. There’s also a 500-square-foot conference room and event space called SpotlightSpace.
“We recognize that the way people shop is changing, and with the launch of Staples Connect we are adapting to fit the needs of our customers,” said Mike Motz, CEO, Staples US Retail, Framingham, Mass. “Our customers are teachers, students of all ages, small business owners and side hustlers. Research shows that much of what they are seeking is real human interaction with members of their community and industry, which is key to productivity and growth. At Staples Connect, we do more than just supply your success through product offerings, we wholeheartedly support it.”
The name Staples Connect at one time was the name of an in-store concept shop and online platform that the retailer launched around 2013 to focus on smart-home technology products and services. It ended three years later
For more images on what the new Staples Connect store looks like, visit sister publication Chain Store Age here.