MALONE, Wash. (AP) — The U.S. post office in the Grays Harbor town of Malone closed on Tuesday. The Malone “village” post office opened on Wednesday at the store next door.
Postal Service spokesman Ernie Swanson in Seattle says it’s the first in the nation to follow the “village” concept, offering limited services like a scaled-down contract store. He says the idea has been under consideration to replace post offices that are closing. Malone just happens to be first.
The Postal Service installed 100 post office boxes outside Red’s Hop-in Mart, and the store is selling stamps.
The Daily World of Aberdeen reports (http://bit.ly/ngvrBG) the deal lets the 185 residents keep their zip code and Malone address.
