Some worry that Staples poses a threat to family-owned and operated stationery store Bob Slate's.

"We've heard people clamoring, saying that they won't shop at Staples just to support Slate's," Lapidus said. Slate's owner Justin Slate said that while he is "concerned" about the threat Staples poses, he trusts that his loyal clientele will not desert him.

"We have a history of understanding a need and fulfilling a need in a way that chain stores can't do," Slate said, "We will do our best to compete."

But when it comes to buying notebooks and pencils, price and convenience, rather than allegiance to a certain store, seem to be the highest priority for students.

Meredith J. Curley '01, for instance, used to shop at Bob Slate's

but said she now plans to go to Staples "because it's much cheaper."

Joanna B. Davis '01, meanwhile, said she has found that the CVS in Porter Square has even better prices than Staples and is only a short walk from her Cabot House home.

Personal worries aside, Slate said he finds the larger trend toward national corporations troubling. After all, he said, it is just easier for companies like Staples or Express, who do not have their livelihood tied up in one or two locations.