Staples is the American office-supplies retailer founded in 1986 in Brighton, Massachusetts.
The idea began with Thomas G. Stemberg, who saw an opportunity for a large, convenient store devoted specifically to office products. Together with Leo Kahn and other investors, he launched Staples, whose first location opened in Brighton on May 1, 1986.
Staples helped popularize the office-supply superstore: customers could find paper, pens, filing products, furniture, computers and business services in one large-format location. That model distinguished it from electronics-focused Best Buy and from rival office-supply chains such as Office Depot and OfficeMax.
The company later expanded internationally and added business-delivery operations through Quill. Its founding location is the key clue: although the company is headquartered in Massachusetts, Brighton—not Framingham, where the headquarters has been located—is the place associated with its first store.