The Southampton Town Planning Board gave the office supply chain Staples final approval on Thursday, January 28, to set-up a store in the Bridgehampton Commons. According to Tom Pira, the director of real estate for Kimco Realty, owner of the Commons, Staples is expected to open by July 2010 and will replace three stores — Ann Taylor, The Retreat thrift shop and GapKids. Ann Taylor already shuttered their corner space, diagonal to King Kullen, in December of 2009, while The Retreat thrift shop and GapKids are expected to relocate elsewhere on the premises.

Above: Customers make their way to the GapKids store in the Bridgehampton Commons this week. The shop is expected to relocate in April to make room for a Staples.

On Monday, an employee at GapKids, who asked to remain anonymous, said several customers have inquired about the fate of the affordable children’s clothing chain. For now, the employees are unaware of where their store will be moved. Pira said his company is working with GapKids to relocate to a temporary location in April, once renovations on the Staples site begins. The former home of the ill-fated entertainment shop FYE is one possible location, Pira confirmed, for GapKids. The space stands adjacent to the pizzeria American Pie and the Athlete’s Foot and is around 4,100 square feet, a smaller spot than the children store’s current 7,000 square foot outpost.

“GapKids is currently reviewing what their square footage needs are. They feel they may not need that much space for their concept,” said Pira in an interview on Monday.

The town’s architectural review board already approved Staples’ formula sign and last week the planning board authorized an expedited review of the project, meaning the next step for Staples and Kimco Realty will be to acquire a building permit. Pira expected to receive the permit within six weeks to a couple months and his company plans to begin renovations in April. By mid-June the space will be handed over to Staples, said Pira , who expected the chain to officially open its doors by summer.

At a planning board meeting in November 2009, Staples representative Stuart Brooks called the Bridgehampton location a junior-anchor store because Staples average store size is between 18,000 to 20,000 square feet, while the Commons location will have an area of around 13,000 square feet.

The office supply chain, known for their commercials starring the Staples’ trademarked “Easy Button,” will fit in with the relatively modest price range of other retailers in the commercial development, noted Pira. At one point, said Pira, Kimco attempted to usher in more upscale businesses at the Bridgehampton site but noticed they filled a niche in the community by catering to shoppers from every socio-economic group.

Of Staples’ opening, planning board member Jacqui Lofaro said, “We don’t have a retail operation like this out here and there is a real need for it.”

Bridgehampton Commons currently boasts 30 tenants, including anchor stores King Kullen, K-Mart and TJ Maxx, with only four vacancies. Pira expects these empty shops will soon be filled as Kimco is in talks with several businesses to take over these leases. He hinted that a fitness operation may move into the small building across the street from TJ Maxx.

“We always manage to keep [the Commons] full,” added Pira. “We were a little worried but it looks like we will be okay for this year.”

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