Bolinas Post Office back in business after 948 days
Bolinas Post Office back in business after 948 days
Bolinas, population 1,200, is a small, remote community that lost its post office almost three years ago. Despite the U.S. Postal Service being downsized, the residents of Bolinas managed to circumvent those cuts and get their post office reopened.
BOLINAS, Calif. - Bolinas, population 1,200, is a small, remote community that lost its post office almost three years ago. Despite the U.S. Postal Service being downsized, the residents of Bolinas managed to circumvent those cuts and get their post office reopened.
The office had closed due to a failed lease agreement over asbestos, leaving residents, who thought their post office was closed forever, with no option but to take a long drive when they needed to send mail.
"We were going between Olema, Stinson Beach, I think even up to Point Reyes to get our mail," Bolinas resident Jason Peacock said. "There's a lot of people in this town that don't have regular transportation and a lot of special need people; all kind of people so it was a real stress on the town."
Stinson Beach, Olema and Point Reyes are six, 11, and 13 miles away respectively.
"It's been really devastating. I think people kind of underestimate how much people rely on being able to get their mail, especially out here," Bolinas-born Tyler Hicks said.
It's also been a financial stress for the Bolinas General Store, which neighbors the post office.
"People go on the other side to get their mail and then they go shopping elsewhere. That was a factor but now it's back," Nader Ghattas of the Bolinas General Store said.
As it turned out, 'forever' was 948 days.
"Some great members of our community got together, and they worked very hard and diligently over the years to bring the post office back," Angie Calpestri said.
As of August, there were 1,692 Post Offices here in the state of California. But today, there are 1,693.
"It's not just a place where we get the mail, although that makes it very convenient, but it's a meeting place for the community," Calpestri said.
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