byIgor Studenkov
Evanston’s Office Depot location is closing in mid-October, according to store employees.
Evanstonians will still be able to find some of the supplies Office Depot carries by shopping at stores, such as the downtown Target, Blick Art Materials and the Applied Ergonomics office furniture store. But Office Depot has been the only all-in-one stop for just about anything one might need for an office. The store carries everything from pens to printers to office desks, and even items that might be useful to office workers outside the workplace, such as laptop bags and luggage.
The Evanston location is one of only a handful of Office Depot locations accompanied by a co-working space.
Office Depot is already offering discounts on just about every item in-store, and they are selling off shelves and other furnishings, as well.
The closure comes as a number of people working at an office five days a week lags behind the pre-pandemic numbers. But the office supply store market was shrinking even before 2020. Evanston used to also have Office Max locations at Sherman Plaza and on the Evanston side of Howard Street, near the McCormick Boulevard.
The ODP Corporation, which currently owns both Office Depot and Office Max chains, did not respond to a request for comment by deadline. According to the company’s second quarter of 2024 financial report, sales were down 10 percent compared to the second quarter of 2023.
The report stated that the “decrease in reported sales is largely related to lower sales in its Office Depot Division, primarily due to 58 fewer retail locations in service compared to the previous year and reduced transactions, as well as lower sales in its ODP Business Solutions Division.”
ODP CEO Gerry Smith was quoted as saying that the performance was “below our expectations” for several reasons, including issues on the retail side.
“Retail store traffic trends, while improving sequentially, remained sluggish,” he stated.
The report noted that ODP is trying to rebound through Project Core, which seeks to cut costs, and stock buybacks.
The Green Bay Road Office Depot includes a Workonomy co-working space. Originally opened in the summer of 2019, it is currently one of only eight Office Depot co-working spaces in the country and one of only two in Illinois. The amenities vary somewhat depending on location. The one at the Evanston store offers meeting rooms, a conference room, office equipment, office mailbox services and storage lockers.
Shera Bishop, the company’s spokesperson when Workonomy opened, told the RoundTable that having a co-working space and an office supply store in one building was good synergy.
“We believe Office Depot’s current suite of products and services paired with a physical co-working space will create a comprehensive offering for Evanston small business owners to run and grow their businesses in one convenient location,” she said.
Once the Evanston location closes, the closest office supply store will be Glenview Staples location at 1509 Waukegan Road and the Chicago Uptown location at 4610 N. Clark St.
And Evanstonians won’t have to go outside the city to find co-working space, though. Enclave Coworking’s Evanston location is within walking distance of the Office Depot, and there are several other options in and around downtown.
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Igor StudenkovReporter
Igor Studenkov is an Illinois Press Association award-winning journalist who's been contributing to newspapers and digital media outlets throughout the Chicago area (and sometimes beyond) for the past...More by Igor Studenkov
8 Comments
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Thanks for this news, though it’s really bad for me. I live on the north side of Chicago and can’t afford to operate a car now. As several locations of Office Max and Office Depot have closed, I’ve come to rely on this one, which is very easy for me to commute to using Metra. Now I’ll have to switch to the one in Village Crossing in Skokie; it’s a major trip by CTA & PACE.
One thing not mentioned in the story is the Perks Rewards program. It’s been extremely helpful financially for regular shoppers. People who buy the same or similar supplies from other retailers might have access to other loyalty programs, but it can be more helpful to accumulate them in one place. I certainly do.Reply
Really wish this store was not closing as I went there often for supplies. The article did not list as alternative sites, the Office Max on Touhy in Skokie to shop at when this store closes.
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I will miss their $2 credit for returning exhausted laser printer toner cartridges (otherwise a hassle to mail back for recycling). But their prices were high and sales lackluster.
And I second Linda and Tom …
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This would be a fabulous location for a north Evanston Trader Joe’s. I’m writing to my city council member this afternoon. This location would draw on customers from Wilmette and beyond as well as our own 1st, 6th, and 7th wards.
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Wondering if the parking lot is large enough, but great idea!
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Ditto that! TJ’s with a tiny parking lot! Exactly what they are known for.
If memory serves, this property was formerly a Jewel with a parking structure, which was demolished when Office Depot moved in and Jewel built its Wilmette Green Bay Road store. I think it’s unlikely Trader Joe’s would build a parking garage, but competition would serve consumers well during inflationary times.
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Failed to mention that Amazon has entered the marketplace like a hungry alligator..
..eating all the fish, big and small in sight..
..including Office Depot.
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Office Depot is not owned by Amazon.
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