The smallest of the three major office supply chains — its $8 billion in sales trails a distant third behind Staples’ $18.2 billion and Office Depot’s $15 million — OfficeMax has still doubled in size in the last 10 years, growing from 500 stores in 1996 to nearly 1,000 today. The new Poulsbo store is part of the company’s plans to open 60 new stores and 100 remodels in the United States this year.

Construction on the new OfficeMax store, which will take up 18,000 square feet of a 42,000 square foot space, should begin this summer, and will have a layout similar to its nationwide counterparts. It could open as early as the end of the year.

Adding the office supply store retailer brings a service to North Kitsap that area residents currently have to drive to Silverdale or Bremerton for, and is in keeping with the development’s master plan, which provides a blueprint for the entire project, according to First Western Investments president Mark Zenger.

The College Marketplace Master Plan also includes a hotel and quality sit-down restaurant, although no deals have yet been struck. OfficeMax is expected to be the only new construction to take place for the rest of the year.