Downtown Tacoma-based Chuckals Office Supply announced today it has entered a partnership with Pierce County to become the municipality’s office products supplier now that the county is joining U.S. Communities, a national purchasing cooperative that provides a best practices model for procurement resources to 42,000 government agencies. Chuckals services the U.S. Community contract as the local provider and member of the Independent Stationers, a nationwide cooperative of independent office products dealers.

“With this decision, Pierce County has not only made a good business move for our citizens, but it also has reversed a distressing trend of job loss at our company,” said Chuckals President Al Lynden in a press release. “In 2010, Chuckals had to lay off nine people. This decision alone will bring back four of those jobs within the first 90 days of the new contract. We commend the county and Executive Pat McCarthy’s leadership to pursue the U.S. Communities/Chuckals partnership that supports our local business community.”

“I am so pleased that we found our best buying opportunity right here in our back yard, which has a multiplier effect within the community,” said McCarthy in a press release. “Besides providing competitive pricing on nearly 20,000 items, this agreement represents a great opportunity to ‘buy local’ and support the area’s economy.”

Formally established in Tacoma in 1994, Chuckals Office Products, located at 2215 Pacific Ave., has roots in the local community that stretch back over 100 years. For more information, visit http://www.chuckals.com .