OfficeMax confirms Central Valley store closings

ITASCA, ILL.
January 27, 2006 6:36am

Six OfficeMax stores in California, including stores in Merced (at 1729 W. Highway 140) and in Chico (at 2560 Notre Dame Blvd.) are among 110 stores the company is closing nationwide.

Precise timing was not announced but the Central Valley stores are expected to lock their doors by the end of March.

OfficeMax's 74 other stores in California will remain open.

The company says its Merced store’s customers can find the nearest OfficeMax in Modesto while those missing their Chico store could shop in Redding’s OfficeMax.

The 110 stores to be shut down were described as underperforming. The company says it expects the move will help its overall bottom line.

“Management is optimistic about its plans to open up to 70 new domestic OfficeMax stores in key high-growth regions in 2006," the Itasca, Ill.-based company says in a written statement.

OfficeMax (NYSE: OMX) says it will try to find jobs for the Merced and Chico employees “at other stores or other company facilities,” including the company's Illinois headquarters where it “plans to fill approximately 1,000 positions.”