Grand & Toy Launches Five Business Centres Dedicated to Small Business Owners

128-year-old company promotes big solutions for small businesses

To view the Social Media Release, click here: http://smr.newswire.ca/en/grand-toy/grand-toy-launches-five-business-centres

TORONTO, Feb. 22 /PRNewswire/ - Canadian office solutions provider Grand & Toy officially launches five downtown Toronto Business Centres today, marking the company's strategic move of assuming a consultative approach when servicing the small business industry. The transformation is part of the company's ongoing strategy to provide Canadian small businesses with the tools and services they need to grow their business while staying focused on their core activities.

"When speaking with our small business customers, they identified a hole in the marketplace that Grand & Toy could fill. Customers were looking for a place to connect with industry experts, learn and gain access to business solutions to help relieve the growing clerical work they did not have time for," says Kevin Edwards, Vice President, Marketing, Grand & Toy. "There's more going on in our new Business Centres than just a new physical layout. Our Associates appreciate the passion our customers have for their companies and are trained to provide them with effective business solutions, so they can continue to focus on what matters to them most - growing their business."

New Toronto Business Centres embody Grand & Toy's transformation

The Business Centres, converted from Grand & Toy retail stores, are designed to serve as local business-to-business hubs. The company puts an emphasis on serving small businesses as a key component of its repositioning from an office supplies retailer to a business solutions provider and organizations' strategic ally.

Conveniently located throughout downtown Toronto at Yonge & Bloor, King & Brant, Bloor & Avenue, Exchange Tower and College Park, the new Business Centres facilitate direct access to a broad range of business tools and resources for local business owners, such as Grand & Toy's comprehensive offering of office solutions, consultations with the company's on-site Business Solutions Advisors, free Wi-Fi and mini work stations for customers dropping by or working while in transit.

Select Business Centres also offer a full-service Copy & Print centre, as well as a secure, on-site document destruction service delivered through Grand & Toy's strategic partnership with Shred-it, a global leader in secure information management.

Grand & Toy continues to evolve

Grand & Toy began a major corporate repositioning in early 2007, transforming the way it serves its customers through multiple service touch points, such as the new Business Centres and recent website enhancements. The company has also trained its customer-facing Business Solutions Advisors to play a more consultative role, while offering a comprehensive suite of business solutions, including interiors, technology, imaging, office and facility supplies and professional services.

"The needs of the Canadian business community are constantly evolving, and Grand & Toy is transforming itself to better meet these needs, add value to our customers' organizations, and help them optimize their effectiveness and efficiency," says Gary D'Andrea, Chief Operating Officer, Grand & Toy. "The introduction of our Business Centres is an exciting new stage in our ongoing journey from a supplier of office products to a business partner of small business. We share their passion and want to support them by sharing the expertise we have acquired throughout our 128-year-old history in the office solutions business."

In early 2009, Grand & Toy successfully completed the pilot conversions of three stores into Business Centres in Vancouver.

Grand & Toy welcomes customers to Toronto Business Centre open houses

On March 9, between 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., three Business Centres - at King & Brant, Bloor & Avenue and College Park - will be hosting drop-in open house events to introduce the new Grand & Toy and its Business Solutions Advisors to the local business community. The fourth Business Centre, in the Exchange Tower, is slated for completion in mid-March. For a detailed list of all Toronto store locations and contact information, click here.

About Grand & Toy
Grand & Toy is one of Canada's leading office solutions providers. With a heritage that dates back to 1882, today's Grand & Toy is committed to offering sustainable solutions to Canadian business in the areas of interiors, technology, imaging and professional services, in addition to office and facility supplies. We operate one of the country's largest distribution networks serving clients coast-to-coast. Grand & Toy also demonstrates a firm commitment to corporate social responsibility through a comprehensive sustainability strategy that's manifested through numerous internal and external environmental and social outreach programs. Grand & Toy's SPARK, is a strategically developed suite of benefits, specifically designed for small business and exclusively available to Grand & Toy account holders. Our customers have access to dedicated support, insightful solutions, innovative resources and community activities to make their business more successful. 

For more information, visit www.grandandtoy.com

/NOTE TO EDITORS: Media Assets accompanying this story are available as follows:

Photo:  http://smr.newswire.ca/media/articles/1104/photo-1.jpg

Photo: http://smr.newswire.ca/media/articles/1104/photo-2.jpg

Photo : http://smr.newswire.ca/media/articles/1104/photo-3.jpg

Photo : http://smr.newswire.ca/media/articles/1104/photo-4.jpg

Photo : http://smr.newswire.ca/media/articles/1104/photo-5.jpg

SOURCE Grand & Toy