Paperchase to relaunch: High street shop to return in Tesco stores within coming weeks

In an era where tangible trends are swapped out for digital stand-ins; where Libraries bolt their doors and less newspapers pile the printer, it is welcome news that stationary store, Paperchase, is set to return to the UK high street. The chain - which closed all of its 106 stores earlier this year - was rescued by Tesco and it’s revival seems to be imminent.

According to the UK retail giant, customers can look forward to seeing Paperchase products again in a matter of ‘weeks’. Tesco spokesperson told Retail Gazette: “Having acquired the Paperchase brand back in January, we look forward to bringing this well-loved name to Tesco and are excited to launch a range of Paperchase products in selected stores and online in the coming weeks.”

In January 2023, a difficult period marked by disappointing sales led to Paperchase collapsing into administration. Shortly after, a deal was struck with Tesco, and the supermarket took on ownership of the brand and intellectual property of Paperchase.

The deal did not include Tesco taking on Paperchase’s brick-and-mortar stores and in March 2023, the company announced it was closing all it’s remaining shops across the UK - leaving 820 employees at risk. Paperchase’s previous owners include WHSmith and the now defunct US bookseller Borders.

While stationary fans will have to find an alternative one-stop shop for office-based supplies, evidence of Paperchase branding has already appeared in some Tesco stores already. Bryan Roberts, a retail analyst with the Institute of Grocery Distribution, shared a photo to social media platform X - formally Twitter noting the ‘impending’ Paperchase launch with the iconic branding already set up in some stores.

Tesco is yet to confirm when the official launch date for Paperchase in stores and online will be or which stores across the UK will be hosting the stationary section.