OfficeMax celebrated the grand opening of its new Business Solutions Center this week in downtown Evanston.
The office supplies store, 1612 Sherman Ave., is geared toward small business, offering Web hosting, printing and credit card processing in addition to OfficeMax’s usual products.
It is the national chain’s second Business Solutions Center in the Chicago area. The first one opened this summer in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood.
Kristin Muntean, vice president of strategic initiatives and innovation for OfficeMax, hailed the Business Solutions Center as a “new way to partner with today’s growing businesses.”
“With the launch of our new OfficeMax Business Solutions Center, we are pleased to introduce a relationship-based retail service center focused on partnering with Evanston businesses to help them grow,” she said in a news release.
Joanne Rhymer, business services manager, said a Business Solutions adviser will help Evanston customers understand the store’s offerings.
“There are so many businesses in this area,” Rhymer said. “This can be very beneficial for them because it is a one stop shop for them.”
Michael Lewis, executive vice president and president of Retail at OfficeMax, said the store hopes to serve a variety of different small businesses and entrepreneurs with different needs.
“We want local businesses in our community to know that they don’t have to go it alone,” he said in a news release. “Every step of the process — from formalizing your business to setting up your website and marketing – will be available through the OfficeMax Business Solutions Center.”
OfficeMax hopes to address the needs of college students as well, Rhymer said. The store offers black and white, as well as colored printing for students. Rhymer said it will also assist with binding reports, creating posters and banners and designing shirts for student organizations.
“This list is endless,” Rhymer said. “We even make and design stress balls.”
Medill senior Sally Zhang said she went to the store on its opening day.
“I actually think it’s just what Evanston needs,” Zhang said. “There’s not a lot of places for us to get supplies, let alone inexpensive supplies. Students are always looking for places that will design websites and T-shirts for their organizations.”
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