Business & Tech

Sharpie and Paper Mate Maker to Move into Downers Grove Office Space

The maker of popular pens and markers will lease office space in Downers Grove at the former Sara Lee headquarters on Lacey Road.

Sanford L.P., which makes Sharpie markers and Paper Mate pens, signed a five-year lease for a floor at Esplanade II, 3500 Lacey Road, reports Chicago Business.com, and will move its personnel out of Oak Brook this summer.

When Sara Lee left, a huge void was created in the 13-story, 637,000-square-foot building. But ChicagoBusiness.com says this deal and other smaller leases will bring the building to 75 percent capacity.

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Broken Don Wenig, a principal at Chicago-based Blackacre Advisors LLC was not involved in the Sandford deal but sees why the Downers Grove location is good for the pen-and-marker maker.

"It's truly a Class A building," Wenig said.

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Paper Mate traces its history back to the 1940s. And Sharpie was the first permanent pen-style marker.


Bonus Fun Fact: Even though Sharpie markers are "permanent," you still have a chance to erase any markings made with a Sharpie. Several swipes of a dry erase marker will remove Sharpie ink. So will WD-40. For ink that's dried over several hours, acetone works and so does rubbing alcohol.

Want to know more? Go to ChicagoBusiness.com


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