James Grand and Samuel Toy at the first store on Leader Lane and Colborne Street, Toronto, 1883Delivering to the Toronto Dominion Centre
Grand & Toy is a Canadian B2B end-to-end supplier of office products and services, founded in 1882 by James Grand as a home-based stationery printing business. It is owned by The ODP Corporation, whose other brands include Office Depot and OfficeMax.
History
Grand & Toy was founded in 1882 by James Grand as a home-based stationery printing business.[1] A year later, Grand partnered with his brother-in-law, Samuel Toy, to open their first retail store.[2] In 1895, the business moved to a larger location and grew to have a staff of twelve. Then, in 1912, Grand & Toy added an office furniture department, and four years later, the business added printing facilities and a bindery. By 1982, when the company celebrated its centennial anniversary, Grand & Toy had 35 locations.[3]
In 1996, Grand & Toy was purchased by Boise Office Solutions, later renamed OfficeMax, a US-based international office supplies distributor, for US$104 million.[4] By 2013, the company had repositioned itself as an end-to-end provider of business solutions.[5]
In 2008, the company's distribution network, one of the largest in Canada, made 8.4 million deliveries.[6]
In early 2013, the company rebranded as "OfficeMax Grand & Toy", as part of an effort by its U.S. parent company to present a unified brand to customers across North America.[5] However, by the end of the year, OfficeMax had merged with U.S. competitor Office Depot.[7]
On 23 April 2014, OfficeMax Grand & Toy announced it would be focusing on online retail, which accounted for 97% of its sales.[8] The company closed its remaining 19 retail locations.[8][1]
In December 2014, the Canadian operation announced it would rebrand back to simply "Grand & Toy", explaining the reversal as an expression of "confidence in Grand & Toy's brand legacy and a strong commitment to its long-term success".[9]
In 2016, Grand & Toy and TerraCycle Canada announced a national retailer recycling program for office products. The program includes recycling for coffee capsules, office supplies, and computer accessories.[10]
In May 2021, Office Depot announced that it would be splitting into two companies: ODP and NewCo. NewCo will include Office Depot’s business solutions division and Grand & Toy.[11][12]
Corporate social responsibility
As of 2015[update], Grand & Toy's social responsibility efforts include waste and recycling programs,[10] green products and services,[13] thought leadership and business insights,[14] and transportation efficiency.[15]
