Don,

Staples are a lot easier to remove than brads. You can use a small scraper to just flip them out with an easy movement of the wrist without damaging the wood. I think you would probably have to pull the brads with a pair of pliers.

If you are concerned about the holes, build it staple-less. There are all kinds of techniques for this. I prefer the spring clips and web belts, but others work as well. Check the archives for more detail.

Mac