Fresh Pond Road Staples closing

I had to pick up some supplies this weekend at Staples on Fresh Pond Road, and when I returned home, I noticed this in the bag. So is it a permanent closure or are they doing an inventory?

The deed changed hands last year, and when I searched their online directory, the Maspeth location doesn't come up as a choice anymore. So it looks like it's permanent.

Now the question is what is coming to this super large lot...

Howard Beach Staples closing

From the Queens Courier:

The only Staples in Howard Beach is closing at the end of this month.

The store put signs up announcing the closure last week but there will be none of the usual sales fanfare, according to the workers at the Cross Bay Boulevard location. Residents have noticed workers starting to pack boxes as the store nears its closing date.

“Sad how everything seems to stay here short term,” Lisa Marie, a local, wrote on the Howard Beach Civic Association Facebook page.

Superstorm Sandy hit businesses hard on the boulevard and the office supply store didn’t open back up until mid-2013. With less than a year of operating after recovering, the store will be closing its doors for good.

Someone needs a better hobby

From the Daily News:

An alleged firebug who ignited at least 8 small blazes at the Queens Center mall — including inside Macy's and Sears — was busted by cops on Monday, officials said.

The alleged arsonist went on a flame-sparking frenzy at the Elmhurst mall on Monday starting at 3:15 p.m. inside Macy's, cops said.

He then went on to light fires inside Sears, Bed Bath & Beyond, Old Navy and Burlington Coat Factory — where he was busted by cops as he tried to slip out the store, officials said.

About 60 firefighters raced to the shopping center to snuff the blazes out, officials said.

No one was injured and the mall was never evacuated, officials said.

The 23-year-old man, whose name was not immediately released, started terrorizing the mall on Friday, where he lit one small fire inside Sears and then got away, cops said.

He then lit two other fires on Sunday, one inside TJ Maxx and another inside Staples, cops said.

Officials are still trying to figure out why the man had sparked the fires.