Office Depot is closing 50 stores

[OnlinePoker]

Office Depot is closing 50 stores this year, the company told Business Insider.

The office supplies company is closing stores under both its namesake and OfficeMax banners.

Several of the closing stores will shut down permanently on May 18, according to Shera Bishop, a spokeswoman for Office Depot.

https://www.businessinsider.com/office-depot-closing-stores-list-2019-4
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More closings in the brick and mortar space.

[True Dough]

1. Put it on the list

of things Trump will bring back after the coal industry and industrial factories. MAGA!

[PeeJ52]

2. Welcome to AmazonLand...

I don't know whether I can blame it all on Amazon either though. It seems when I look on line for what I want and go to these local stores, they more often than not let their stock run out. I don't know if it's just poor management not paying attention to their inventory software, or poor software.

It's gotten to the point I almost give up going to the stores because I expect them to be out of stock of what I want.

[SWBTATTReg]

3. I've had a similar experience one time and never went back, when they ordered something for me...

online and promising that it would be there on a certain date, it didn't (and finally arrived the week afterwards). By then I had already canceled my order and got my $ back. I was so frustrated and they seemed to be totally disorganized (Office Depot).

[kimbutgar]

4. But the economy is boooming!

Sometimes I need something and don’t wait 2-5 days for it. I’d rather pick it up in the store. Wall Street demands bigger profits everyday quarter and that is also a reason these stores are closing.

[matt819]

5. It'll be interesting to see what happens to Staples

Staples is my local office supply store, and I spend a fair amount of money there. Office supplies, printer ink, office equipment and furniture, and stuff I need right away. A few months ago I was transferring files from my old computer to new (bought direct from Dell), and I needed a cheap monitor quickly - got an HP monitor at Staples for $99). I compare to Amazon pretty often, and Staples' prices are mostly competitive. Plus, I sometimes pop in when I'm in a nearby store and roam around thinking about what I need for the office.

That said, I'd probably be just as happy to order from Staples online, since delivery is mostly free and very quick. And I guess I wouldn't lose any sleep if I had to buy all of my office supplies from Amazon or other online sources. It makes you wonder whether there are any limits to what Amazon will sell and to what impact that will have on communities throughout the US. I think the impact on "Main Street" has already happened. What's gone is going to stay gone, and towns and cities are dealing with that - or not. Now we're going to see job losses from the closure of chain brick and mortar stores. Job losses and vacant big box stores that have limited hope of being being occupied again. I mean, how many fitness centers and mattress stores can any one city have?

Well, maybe it's a case of these things happen, and we as a society will still survive. TBH, though, I'm less and less optimistic. But that could have a lot to do with our political travails. Still, that's 50 stores firing their employees and leaving their big boxes a vacant eyesore.

[Auggie]

6. Empathy for the workers, though I really hate Office Depot

Another cookie-cutter big box retailer that helped kill mom and pop stores.

It reeks of corporate profiterring. I wouldn't be surprised if this is behind it all -- to boost stock dividends.