Officeworks Celebrates 25th Birthday

Twenty-five years ago this week, Officeworks opened its first ever store in Richmond, Victoria. On Sunday 16 June 1994, it opened with 4,500 products and around 50 team members. The store’s best sellers were typewriters and overhead projectors.

Today, Officeworks is one of Australia’s leading every-channel retailers, employing more than 8,000 team members and providing more than 40,000 products across office supplies, tech, furniture and Print & Copy to micro, small and medium businesses, students and households. Copy paper, laptops & PCs and student supplies are some of its highest sellers.

Established by the Coles Myer Group in 1994, the original plan was to open 50 stores in Australia. Fast forward 25 years and the retailer is part of Australian conglomerate Wesfarmers and operates 167 stores across the country, as well as a significant online business and growing B2B segment.

Recently, the business has purchased national provider of on-site information, communication and technology services, Geeks2U, opened the world’s largest office supplies store in Mentone, Victoria, and launched a new paid parental policy ‘Growing Families’.

With new Managing Director, Sarah Hunter, joining in January, the business is now looking forward to the next 25 years. She said: “I’m so proud to be part of this exciting journey and to work with a team that is so engaged and passionate about our brand. Making a positive difference and connecting with our team, our customers and the communities where we live and work, has and will continue to be a part of our DNA.”

“The future at Officeworks is very exciting and the opportunity to build on the existing success of the Officeworks team is something I’m very much looking forward to. There’s so much on the cards in the coming year that will continue to help make bigger things happen for our team, our customers and our communities,” she said.

To mark the 25th birthday, the retailer has deepened its commitment to its national partners, sponsoring a class of 25 students with The Smith Family, as well as donating literacy packs for students in 25 classrooms with Australian Literacy & Numeracy Foundation (ALNF).

Other celebrations included a lunch for team members who have been with Officeworks or the broader Wesfarmers/Coles Myer businesses for more than 25 years, as well as a Family Fun Day for its customers at the first store in Richmond, Victoria.