CLARKSBURG, Ind. -- The fourth Village Post Office (VPO) in the Greater Indiana District opened in Clarksburg, Ind., on July 23, located in Robbins Gas & Convenience Store. And the fifth VPO opened in Wingate on July 27, located in the Star Foodmart.
Last year, the U.S. Postal Service introduced the VPO model as an alternate retail location for postal products and services, especially in rural communities. VPOs are operated by local businesses contracting with the postal service and offer a range of popular postal products and services including stamps and flat-rate packaging.
Hardev Bal, owner of Star Foodmart, said that he sees his partnership with the U.S. Postal Service as a plus for the town and for his store. "I get business from the three towns surrounding Wingate, so it's a good location for a VPO, and I hope to see even more foot traffic as a result."
The store is open from 5:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, and 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Sunday.
Tom Robbins, owner of Robbins Gas & Convenience Store, which has been in business 29 years, said he wanted to partner with the Postal Service to benefit the community. "I chose the VPO model to stop the town from dying, as most of the businesses have shut down."
The store is open from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday.
Clarksburg and Wingate still have post offices, but the stores are open later than the post office during the week, and open on Saturday and Sunday. Robbins and Bal said that they see this as a convenience for those who want to buy stamps or get postal products outside postal hours.
Greater Indiana District Manager Bernice Grant officially opened the new postal centers. Several postal service executives and local officials were also present at the ribbon-cutting ceremonies.
Clarksburg is the 31st and Wingate is the 32nd VPO to open nationwide.
The U.S. Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 151 million residences, businesses and post office boxes. It has 32,000 retail locations. It receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
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