Staples closing helps mom and pop business in Lompoc

In life there’s that old adage when one door closes, another one opens – and for Inklings in Lompoc, their door keeps opening with customers coming in after Staples has closed for good.

“Now that Staples has closed, we get at least four or five people a day coming in just to get faxes, or copies or anything like that,” explained Marlee Bedford, whose family owns Inklings.

Some of those new customers include the Bouchaids who came in for the first time Wednesday afternoon.

“I would suspect that this is probably the only place you can fax stuff in Lompoc now that I know of,” said David Bouchaid.

This store has been around for over 30 years however, now not only surviving a competitive environment but also outlasting a big box store.

“I kind of feel bad that some local residents will have to look for business elsewhere but it’s nice to be able to have more of a community influence,” Bedford said.

While Staples closing has left a large, vacant spot in the center of town, Inklings customers both new and old are excited for what this could mean for a mom and pop business.

“Sometimes you can get a little bit of a better deal if you go to a bigger store but overall I think it’s better that you support a local business; it really helps out the community,” customer Kevin Robbie said.

It’s still unclear at this time if anything will be coming in to fill this empty retail space but with six stores and restaurants opening before the end of last year, it’s possible it won’t stay empty for long.