Office Supplies, Stationery, and Gift Retailers

Businesses and organizations in the Office Supplies, Stationery, and Gift Retailers industry (NAICS code 4532, part of the Retail Trade sector) received 21,180 PPP loans totaling $883.1M during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The average loan for this industry was $41,694 — below the national PPP average of approximately $67,000. This reflects the small business character of most participants in this industry, typically sole proprietors and micro-businesses with modest payroll obligations.

96.1% of loans in this industry were forgiven — totaling $863.1M. To qualify for forgiveness, borrowers had to demonstrate that they maintained headcount and compensation levels and used at least 60% of loan proceeds for payroll expenses.

Notable recipients in this industry include TRAVEL TRADERS HOTELS INC of MIAMI, FL ($6,748,700); OEC GRAPHICS, INC. of OSHKOSH, WI ($3,634,200); and FORMS & SUPPLY INC. of CHARLOTTE, NC ($2,867,100).

The loan amount distribution for this industry shows a more even spread across loan sizes, suggesting a mix of small and mid-sized businesses. Because borrower names are withheld for loans under $150,000, a substantial portion of recipients in this industry may not appear by name in this dataset.

As part of the broader Retail Trade sector — sporting goods, hobby, book, music, general merchandise, and nonstore retailers. — businesses in NAICS 4532 were particularly reliant on PPP assistance to bridge the gap between declining revenues and fixed overhead obligations during the shutdown period.