Who We Are

Staples started as a solution for your business, and more than 30 years later, it’s true to this day. Get to know us, see how it all started and look inside a culture centered around your success.

Here for every pro

We strive to help businesses like yours succeed.

Our Story

Take a look at how it all started, where we’ve gone over the years and what we’re focusing on today.

  • 1986-min

    1986

    Inventors of an industry.

    One fateful Fourth of July weekend, Tom Stemberg broke the ribbon on his typewriter and went in search of a replacement. Stores were closed for the holiday, and the ones still open just didn’t have enough of a selection. Tom came to a realization: businesses needed a reliable, one-stop supplier for office supplies. Ten months later, the first Staples® store — and the world’s first office supply superstore — opened in Brighton, Massachusetts.

  • 1989-min

    1989

    Staples delivers.

    In 1989, our best-selling item was a case of copy paper, all 53 pounds of it. Customers asked if it could be delivered. We thought that was pretty smart, and later that year, we launched Staples Direct, our catalog delivery service, to do just that.

  • 1993-min

    1993

    Serving businesses, large and small.

    In 1993, after years of rapid and successful retail expansion, Staples entered the contract sales market. We partnered with National Office Supply, a company specializing in Fortune 500 clients. This was the beginning of what is now Staples Business Advantage®.

  • 1998-min

    1998

    Inventors of an industry.

    Staples.com® was launched in 1998, becoming one of the first online storefronts. We made sure customers had a seamless experience no matter how they shopped, with in-store returns for online purchases, and Internet kiosks at our retail locations. In 1999 StaplesLink.com® was launched to offer our contract customers the same convenience of ordering online.

    Combining forces with Quill.

    In the same year, Staples acquired Quill – an office supplier that had built a strong presence into the Midwest. With the move, Quill gained access to Staples’ distribution centers, while we were able to align ourselves with another proven and trusted brand.

  • 2002-min

    2002

    Ron Sargent takes the reins.

    In 2002, Tom Stemberg stepped down from his position of CEO and was succeeded by Ron Sargent. “I believe the ultimate legacy for the CEO and founder of a corporation is how well the company performs as the leadership transitions,” said Tom, confident in his decision to transition to executive chairman.

  • 2003-min

    2003

    “That was easy.”

    For eight years, the Staples tagline had been: “Yeah, we’ve got that.” In 2003, Staples shifted its focus from what customers bought to how they shopped. Staples made buying supplies easy. So a new tagline was born — “Staples. That was easy.® ” — along with a new advertising icon: The Easy Button® .

  • 2008-min

    2008

    A transformational event.

    In 2008, Staples acquired Corporate Express, a global contract stationer based in the Netherlands. It also brought in a wide selection of products beyond office supplies and set us up to serve the business of the future. Ron Sargent calls it “the most transformational event in the history of our company.”

  • 2009-min

    2009

    Staples Business Advantage® expands its offering.

    In 2009, Staples Business Advantage began to offer a more expansive selection of products beyond the office, in order to supply customers with everything they need for their workdays and workspaces.

    Some of the strides we’ve made:

    • North America’s largest promotional product distributor
    • $1 billion in facilities supplies sales
    • 30 years as a trusted tech advisor and supplier
    • Over 25,000 furniture projects completed by Workplace Studio
    • More than 50 years of print service expertise
  • 2013-min

    2013

    Staying ahead of the curve.

    For digital innovation in the Information Age, we opened our Velocity Lab in Cambridge, MA, and our Development Center in Seattle in 2013, responsible for enhancing customer shopping experiences on mobile devices and desktops and in stores.

  • 2014-min

    2014

    “Make More Happen®”

    After 11 years of making it easier for customers to shop, Staples was ready for the next step: “Make More Happen.” We expanded our assortment to provide every product businesses need to succeed and created new services focused around convenience. 2014 also marked the launch of the Staples Share Fund, our associate assistance program funded by associate and corporate contributions.

  • 2016-min

    2016

    Shira Goodman is ready to shine.

    In 2016, Shira Goodman was named president and CEO, succeeding Ron Sargent after 14 years and becoming the first woman to lead the company in its 30-year history. “I am committed to executing Staples' strategy,” she said, acknowledging, “We have an incredible team of dedicated associates, and I am proud to lead them as we transform our company.”

  • now-min

    Today

    “It’s Pro TimeSM”

    In 2017, Staples launched their new brand platform, "It's Pro Time," celebrating the everyday professionals who love to roll up their sleeves and get down to business. These pros believe that status quo is never their starting point—that good is just a stepping stone to great. We're proud to be by their side, supporting them with the right products, services and expertise to go above and beyond.

What Sets Us Apart

Our customers are beyond busy, so we strive to make everything else a little easier.

Here are just some of the ways we can help you shop, save money and get time back in your day.

  • Products & Services
  • Ways to save
  • Shop any time

Shop millions of products, plus custom services and money-saving membership programs for your business.

Rack up the savings every time you shop with everyday low prices, exclusive offers, rewards back and much more.

*Order by 5pm local time. Excludes weekends and holidays. Eligible items only.

Getting what you need should be the easiest part of your day, so visit us in store, online or any number of other ways.

WHERE TO FIND OUR CORPORATE LOCATIONS

From Massachusetts to California, and even Ontario, we have offices across North America to help your business succeed.

Boston, MA

Velocity Lab, the mobile powerhouse behind Staples. In Boston, we develop our mobile and tablet web properties as well as Staples’ iOS, Android and retail kiosk applications.

Framingham, MA

Our home office. This is where thousands of our associates collaborate every day to bring you the best business solutions (and just 20 miles from our first Brighton store).

Columbia, SC

Our Shared Services Center is the financial engine of Staples that centralizes and simplifies our global financial platform.

Westminster, CO

Our Westminster location, home to the Staples Business Advantage sales team, is located near the beautiful foothills of Colorado nestled between Denver and Boulder.

Lincolnshire, IL

Lincolnshire is home to Quill, a longstanding eCommerce digital leader that became part of Staples in 1998.

Seattle, WA

Our Development Lab powers Staples’ search engines and online search results to help customers quickly find exactly what they need.

San Jose, CA

At our Innovation Lab in San Jose, engineers and data scientists build our platform product to deliver personalized experiences across online and retail channels.

Maitland, FL

Our Maitland location, home to the Staples Business Advantage mid-market sales team, is located just off the I4 exit in sunny Central Florida.

La Mirada, CA

Our La Mirada office focuses on business-to-business customers in Southern California.

Overland Park, KS

In Overland Park, our associates drive innovative branded merchandise for our clients to grow their own brand presences.

Engelwood, NJ

Located just miles from the heart of New York City, Englewood is home to one of two Staples Workplace Experience Centers and showcases many of the lines of business that we support.

Mississauga, ON

Staples Business Advantage is the leading business supplier for Canada and is headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario with eight distribution centers across Canada.

Richmond Hill, ON

Richmond Hill is our home office for our Canada retail and eCommerce businesses.

Orange City, IA

In Orange City, our associates drive innovative branded merchandise for our clients to grow their own brand presences.

St. Louis, MO

In St. Louis, our associates drive innovative branded merchandise for our clients to grow their own brand presences.

Looking for one of our Staples stores? Get the details on a location in your neck of the woods.

Find a Store

How We're Making a Difference

better-together-min

Better Together.

We’re committed to a strong, diverse workforce, and it shows. We’ve received a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index every year since 2011.

Learn more
giving-back-min

Giving Back.

We’re committed to a strong, diverse workforce, and it shows. We’ve received a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index every year since 2011.

Learn more
less-more-min

Less is More.

We’re driving sustainability across our entire organization, from our delivery truck fleet to product packaging and our ever-growing eco-conscious assortment.

Learn more