Barrio Logan Post Office closure prompts mixed reaction from neighbors – NBC 7 San Diego

The U.S. Post Office in Barrio Logan will officially close its doors on Aug. 8.

A spokesperson with USPS announced its services will be transferred to the Encanto Post Office.

Some neighbors told NBC 7 the post office is part of their livelihood. Others said they were unaware it was closing soon.

For more than 20 years, Faris has walked to the Southeastern Post Office located at 2777 Logan Ave. for all his mail services.

Today, he was shocked to find out starting next month, operations will cease at this location.

“Honestly, I can’t believe it,” Faris said.  

The U.S. Postal Service has announced services from the Barrio Logan location will be transferred to the Encanto Post Office located on 5505 Stevens Way.

They said the closure is due to the lease ending.

“As a postal employee, obviously I’m upset. As president I’m very angry,” said Bob Waterhouse, president of San Diego Area Local 197 of the American Postal Workers Union.

He is worried about the closure’s impact on the community and what it means for the future of the U.S. Postal Service and prices.

“It makes no sense except it’s preparing the Postal Service for privatization,” Waterhouse said.

“You get rid of the postal service, we’re the governor. We’re the ceiling in the shipping industry. You take us away, FedEx, Amazon, what’s the other one — UPS, they’re going to jack those prices up and it’s going to be absorbed by all the customers and all the small businesses, they’re going to be drowning,” Waterhouse said.

In a press release earlier this month, the U.S. Postal Service said mail delivery operations will not be impacted, but Waterhouse disagrees.  

He said the community will feel the effects almost immediately.

“We have a lot of people who go to the post office just for stamps, just to pick up their mail, their medication, whatever it is. It’s a community thing,” Waterhouse said.

Two years ago, an Imperial Beach post office closed after its lease expired.

Now neighbors from this Barrio Logan neighborhood will have to travel more than six miles to reach the post office in Encanto for their USPS services.

“It’s ridiculous because this is a convenient post office that’s been here for so many years. They should open another one for the community in Encanto. We’re taxpayers, we’re part of the community, this post office is part of our life,” Faris said.

NBC 7 San Diego reached out to the USPS for comment and is awaiting a response.

Waterhouse is planning to join hundreds of other post offices across the country in a nationwide rally on Tuesday. They will meet outside of the Southeastern Post Office, and it will start at 11 a.m.