POSTAL BRANCH: RENEWED INTEREST IN FACILITY ON WEST SIDE

A U.S. Postal Service branch office is a possibility for Cape Girardeau's west end.

The post office branch wouldn't deliver mail, but post office boxes would be available and retail items including stamps would be sold.

John Coolidge, manager of post office operations for the Postal Service's Kansas City district, was in Cape Girardeau recently to look at the city's west end. The possibility of the branch office will be discussed, said Coolidge.

"We discussed a possible financial unit (branch office) a few years ago," said Mike Keefe, Cape Girardeau postmaster. "We had the support of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, West End Merchants Group, and city officials."

The idea was prompted following organization of the U.S. post office's Customer Advisory Committee in 1993.

A request for a feasibility study on a new branch office was submitted to the Kansas City district, but it fell through the cracks. It emerged again during Coolidge's visit here.

Keefe said because of the distance between the west end and the post office at 320 N. Frederick, Coolidge agreed on the need for the branch.

The branch would be staffed, said Keefe. "Customers could mail letters and packages there, but mail delivery would not be made," said Keefe.

"This would be great for merchants in the west end," said Randy Holdman, president of the West End Merchants Association. It would also be of big benefit to retail customers, said Holdman.

The Postal Service has a 37,600-square-foot post office processing center in Cape West Business Park on the west side of Interstate 55.