How a missed printer ribbon in 1985 sparked a retail empire and a cultural icon.
In short: Staples began not as a grand corporate vision, but as a frustrated entrepreneur's search for a printer ribbon on a holiday. What followed was a rapid rise to Fortune 500 status, a series of high-stakes merger battles, and the accidental invention of a global marketing phenomenon: the Easy Button.
The company was founded in 1986 by Leo Kahn, Thomas G. Stemberg, and Myra Hart, opening its first store in Brighton, Massachusetts. Stemberg’s inspiration struck in 1985 when he could not find a printer ribbon during the Independence Day holiday, highlighting the vulnerability of relying on small, local dealers. With backing from firms like Bain Capital, the company grew rapidly, reaching the Fortune 500 by 1996. Its expansion included international markets, such as Canada in 1991 and Britain in 1992, and the acquisition of major wholesalers like Corporate Express in 2008.
Staples’ history is marked by intense rivalry with Office Depot. A proposed 1996 merger was blocked by the Federal Trade Commission, which feared it would unfairly inflate prices. A second attempt in 2015 met a similar fate, resulting in a $250 million breakup fee and a strategic pivot. Following its 2017 acquisition by Sycamore Partners for $6.9 billion, the company underwent a major restructuring, splitting into three independently managed entities to prioritize business-to-business services over traditional retail.
Beyond its corporate maneuvers, Staples became a master of advertising. The "That was easy" campaign, launched in 2003, spawned the iconic "Easy Button." Originally a fictional prop in television spots, customer demand forced the company to manufacture it as a real product, with 1.5 million units sold by the end of 2006. Today, the company continues to evolve, experimenting with co-working spaces and "Staples Connect" store concepts, while navigating the logistical challenges of serving as a hub for Amazon returns—a service that has drawn significant employee criticism.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Staples Inc.
- Also: Wikidata — Staples Inc. · CC0
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