Lake Murray Postal Annex Closing to Retail Customers This Summer

After a four-year run serving north La Mesa and San Carlos customers, the tiny retail window of the Lake Murray Boulevard postal annex will close this summer, according to officials.

Eva Gill, an annex employee, said she’s been told that retail services will end in August. No official closing date has been announced. 

A June 9 “final declaration” is stapled to a wall inside the annex (and attached here), saying: “The Postal Service has determined to close the La Mesa Annex Station and provide delivery and retail services by city delivery under the administrative responsibility of the Spring Valley Post Office, located two miles away.”

In fact, the Spring Valley Post Office is at 10174 Austin Drive in Spring Valley—about nine miles south of the annex at 6055 Lake Murray Blvd. 

In a report signed by Dean Granholm, vice president of delivery and post office operations, customers are told that the Postal Service will save an estimated $168,457 a year by closing the service window.

Residents can continue to visit the annex to pick up mail held over vacations. They just won’t be able to buy stamps and money orders, mail packages and get other services. The annex will continue as a sorting station for carriers.

Retail services also are being halted because of a lack of use, officials suggest.

“The daily retail window transactions averaged 56,” said the report, accounting for 72 minutes of retail workload daily.  “There are no permit mailers or postage meter customers. There will no longer be a retail outlet in the community.

“Taking all available information into consideration, the Postal Service has determined that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages and this final determination is warranted.”

In addition, the building was not designed as a retail site, the report said.

“The POS unit was installed ad hoc,” said the report. “We are only removing the retail; the carriers will remain. Customers will be served from the La Mesa Post Office and other nearby surrounding USPS facilities.”

The La Mesa Annex Station is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays.

On May 10, representatives from the Postal Service were available at La Mesa Spring Valley Station to answer questions and provide information to customers. Five attended.

As well, 25 questionnaires were distributed to delivery customers of the La Mesa Annex Station. Surveys also were available over the counter for retail customers at the La Mesa Annex Station.

Of the 25 questionnaires returned, 12 opposed the closing of retail services and 13 “expressed no opinion regarding the proposed alternate service,” the report said.

In response to residents upset about the annex closing to retail customers, postal officials said:  “I know you'll be glad to hear there are three Post Offices located near the current La Mesa Annex. The Grossmont Station, the La Mesa Finance (8064 Allison Ave.), and the Navajo Post Office (6519 Bisby Lake Ave.) all are within three miles from the La Mesa Annex and have full retail windows for your products and services.”

In a section called “Effect on community,” postal officials said:

La Mesa Annex is not an incorporated community located in San Diego County. The community is administered politically by La Mesa City Government. Police protection is provided by the La Mesa Police. Fire protection is provided by the La Mesa Fire Department. The community is comprised of retired people, farmers/ranchers, and those who commute to work at nearby communities and work in local businesses. … Nonpostal services provided at the La Mesa Annex Station will be available at the Spring Valley Post Office.

The report concluded: “Based on the information obtained in the course of this discontinuance study, the Postal Service concludes this proposal will not adversely affect the community.”

The decision can be appealed, notes the report. People served by the annex can write to the Postal Regulatory Commission at 901 New York Ave NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20268-0001.

Deadline for appeals is July 9, and copies of appeal documents prepared by the Postal Regulatory Commission or the parties to the appeal will be made available for public inspection at La Mesa Annex Station and Spring Valley Post Office during normal office hours.