Staples store in Paso Robles is closing. What about other SLO County locations?
Staples in Paso Robles is closing for good.
The office supply store chain will shut its doors at 160 Niblick Road next to Walmart, company officials announced.
“Our business is evolving alongside the customer,” Staples officials said in an email to The Tribune. “We continually monitor the performance of Staples stores across the country to ensure we’re meeting our customers where they want to be met.”
“We remain committed to supporting lifelong achievement for small businesses, and to supporting parents, teachers and students as they enter this different back-to-school season,” the email read.
Staples stores in Atascadero and San Luis Obispo will remain open, according to the company.
Customers react to Staples closure
Outside the Paso Robles Staples store Friday, customers said they’ll miss the supplies they can get nearby their homes.
Christine Henry, a Paso Robles resident, said she has been shopping at the store for the past eight years.
“I get office supplies, ink for my printer, I use the duplicating machines, and sometimes I get their computer help too,” Henry said. “It’s a little bit of everything in the store (that she shops for).”
Henry said she’ll probably use the Atascadero store, but appreciated having a full-service office supply and copy store closer to home. She also prefers shopping in person whenever possible, she said.
“I always like to shop in person when I don’t know what I’m buying,” Henry said. “I like to see the quality and have the people interaction too.”
Henry acknowledged that it’s a rough economic climate.
“It’s sad for our community to lose businesses,” Henry said. “I think just being an employer, during this whole COVID (thing), is just definitely rough.”
Alissa Davis, 20, of Paso Robles said that she buys college school supplies at Staples and her father buys computer products at the store.
Asked where she’ll buy those items in the future, Davis said “Online, I guess.”
“Our customers in this area can continue to shop with us at Staples store at 815 El Camino Real in Atascadero or online at www.staples.com,” Staples officials said.
Paso Robles launches small business grants
The city of Paso Robles announced its small business grant program awards on Friday, issuing $200,000 in federal CARES Act funds to provide one-time funding for small businesses in Paso Robles.
“While many cities are using their federal CARES Act funding allocation solely to reimburse city pandemic response costs, we felt it essential to use the majority of Paso Robles’ funds to support the businesses that form the foundation of Paso’s local economy,” Paso Robles Mayor Steve Martin said in a news release. “We only wish we had sufficient funds to meet the broader needs that exist, and I encourage local residents to continue to support Paso businesses.”
Locally, some businesses have struggled to survive an economy strained by coronavirus restrictions.
F. McLintocks Saloon announced in August that it would permanently close its Paso Robles restaurant.
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