Hollister’s limited collection of big boxes is about to get smaller.
The city is losing one of its few big-box retailers with Staples scheduled to close the local store in the coming months. Store representatives have been in contact with city and business officials about the announced closure, expected this summer.
Staples’ representatives could not be reached immediately before publication, but the chamber of commerce and city finance office have been notified of the change.
Staples has informed the chamber of plans to close in June or July, said Stephanie Castro, administrative assistant with the chamber of commerce. City finance officials had a meeting scheduled with Staples for Monday, after which there should be a better outlook as to the economic impact from the store’s closure, said Administrative Services Director Brett Hall.
With troubled finances and a move toward online sales, Staples in March announced plans to close up to 225 stores by the end of 2015. Those closures are set to follow the shuttering of 109 Staples stores in the year leading up to the fourth quarter of 2013.
Staples’ sales in the fourth quarter of 2013 were down 12 percent from the same quarter in 2012. For the year, sales were down 6.1 percent for the office supplies retailer. To combat changing consumer habits, Staples is continuing its push toward online sales – noting a 10 percent online sales increase in the fourth quarter – and rolling out a broader base of products beyond traditional office supplies.
As for the implications on Hollister’s economy, Mayor Ignacio Velazquez stressed that the local Staples is one of more than 200 in the company set to close. There are no concrete plans for a replacement business in the Airline Highway location, but the mayor said he doesn’t believe the building will sit vacant for too long.
“I think it’s a good building so I don’t think it’s going to,” he said.
