Here is some more information on yesterday’s announcement that the U.S. Postal Service will begin considering closing thousands of post offices nationwide, including several in West Philly.
Just to recap, the West Philly locations under consideration include:
• 30th Street Train Station
• West Market – 5011 Sansom
• West Park – 5300 W. Jefferson St.
• Kingsessing – 5311 Florence Ave.
• Overbrook – 658 N. 63rd St.
Post Office officials said no final decision on closures will be made before December.
One way that the Post Office will compensate areas affected by the closures will be small retail locations called Village Post Offices that will be located in pharmacies, grocery stores and other large retail locations. These could include collections boxes, stamps, pre-paid Flat Rate boxes and envelopes and, in some locations, post office boxes.
But that leaves many questions about mail service. It’s clear that many post offices will be closed. Around here, we are wondering how much pressure this will put on the post office near 40th and Locust (228 S. 40th). The big, shiny new main post office at 30th and Chestnut will likely get more action too.
July 27th, 2011 at 10:17 am
I hate people losing their jobs, but I would not be sad to see the Kingsessing one close. It’s near me and I don’t even go there if I don’t absolutely have to because it is terrible. There is always just one person working and there are NEVER ANY supplies out! I have to wait in line to get a label or a box or whatever THEN wait in line to send it out!
July 28th, 2011 at 2:30 pm
40th and Locust is SO busy during the school year and then dead in the summer. I don’t think it could handle more business during most of the year. The only time to go is when they first open at 8:30am.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:54 am
Gotta agree with rrf. Kingsessing is an abysmal excuse for a post office. I generally do all my shipping via UPS (to many lost packages) but, when I have to use USPS, I go out of my way to avoid Kingsessing. Nearly every time I’ve gone to conduct business (pick up a package, etc.) there’s usually 2 folks behind the counter – one carrying on a personal cell phone conversation and one person “working” who is annoyed that customers are bothering her. I’ve had to go back a few times before they could be bothered to find my package (even when I have the pick up slip in hand) and I have had more than a few packages go missing from there. I <3 my local carrier but am glad to see Kingsessing on this list. They need to go.