Ever since the U.S. Postal Service^® announced in January that 1,400 offices were under review for potential closing, both industry professionals and citizens in affected areas alike have questioned what options will be available to people whose Post Offices™ are closed. On Tuesday, the Postmaster General announced a proposed plan, the Village Post Office, that has the potential to both alleviate these concerns and reduce operations expenses incurred by the Postal Service^®.

The Village Post Office concept is based upon the demonstrated success of the expanded access locations currently available in retail establishments such as grocery stores and office supply stores, as well as self-service kiosks, ATMs, and usps.com. According to Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe, over 35 percent of the organization’s retail revenue comes from these types of locations. The proposed solution goes beyond these locations, providing local businesses in areas affected by Post Office closings to operate a Village Post Office, offering many of the same services available in official Post Offices, yet run independently.

More information on the Village Post Office and expanded access locations can be found on the USPS website.