WOODSTOCK – City officials are working with property owners to market an Office Depot building, as the large office supply chain starts a final closeout sale before it shutters its Woodstock store in May.
Cort Carlson, the city’s community and economic development director, said his department has started conversations with the owners who control the Office Depot building, 414 S. Eastwood Drive, about a marketing plan meant to draw a new tenant to the location.
The building, Carlson said, is near one of the city’s busiest intersections, Route 47 and Country Club Road, and makes up a cross section of various retail chains.
“Once we work with the property owner and determine a way to move forward, it certainly becomes a viable and leasable space,” Carlson said.
City officials had been expecting the Office Depot to close after the office supply company announced a merger with smaller competitor OfficeMax in 2013.
Following the purchase, Office Depot announced it would close at least 400 stores through the end of 2016. Additional store closings were expected after larger competitor Staples absorbed Office Depot through another merger in 2014.
The large office suppliers have struggled to compete with Internet and big-box retailers that offer similar products for less.
The OfficeMax located in the Algonquin Commons retail center also is doing a final closeout sale. Algonquin officials are working with property owners to market the building, once the OfficeMax location closes in May, village officials said.