USPS Five Corners and USPS Journal Square

More than two years ago when the news about USPS trimming down offices across New Jersey first broke, I wondered, which of these two branches here in Journal Square will get the boot?

The question has been answered: USPS Five Corners on Newark Avenue is being considered for closure.

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JSQ Branch vs Five Corners

I’ve been living here in Journal Square district of JC for almost a decade now, and I honestly admit that I’ve never used the Five Corners branch on Newark Avenue for a good reason: it is farther from where I live.

However, I had driven seniors there and had heard good testimonials from other people as well. The place didn’t seem too busy. Maybe because the place is smaller and sandwiched between two other establishments in a busy neighborhood. This USPS station is hard to notice if you are a new resident.

On the other hand, the USPS station on Bergen Avenue is a thriving branch as its location – for me – is better: near PATH Station, near the square, it is basically in the heart of the district. Reason why lines are longer (still can’t beat DMV/MVC though :P ). My complaint here for the longest time is this: why are some of the windows closed? There are five windows there which include the parcel window, but most of the time I’d been there, only two were open.

Do you still use the post office?

My quick answer is YES. I pay my bills online, shop online, and write letters via email. But some of my personal businesses are still sent/received via USPS, as I find it much cheaper if I don’t mind the “quickness” of delivery. Would I miss it if the USPS closes? Probably not, because I am aware of other services available for me and I can use them whenever it is necessary.

Related posts:

1. USPS JSQ vs USPS Five Corners: Which One is in Trouble?
2. USPS Five Corners in Journal Square Jersey City
3. Jersey City Library: Blood Drive @ Five Corners Branch

In my 7.5 years here in this district, I’ve never been inside the USPS Five Corners Branch. So I can’t comment on their services. On the other hand, USPS JSQ Branch is closer to home so I use it whenever necessary. The lines are always long, probably the result of only 2 windows available out of 5. I noticed that the Parcel window is always closed at least whenever I went there.

Earlier this week, there was a news saying that some USPS will likely face closures.

USPS officials said that they are studying more than 3000 branches nationwide to identify candidates for closure. The list will be trimmed down to “300 outlets or so”.

Snippet of the news:

…The postal service will likely zero in on small, underutilized offices in big cities – including Jersey City, Elizabeth, Paterson and Newark, which has 16 locations alone – when it finally crafts a list of offices to close, said George Flood, a spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service in New Jersey…  Source:  NJ.com

Do you See a Decline of Mail Business in JSQ?

In the same news article, it was mentioned that in fiscal 2008, Flood said: “mail volumes were down 4.5 percent, or 9.5 billion pieces, with a 14 percent drop predicted in the current fiscal year ending Sept. 30.”

As I see it, the following are two main reasons why USPS mail volume is declining:

• Technology – It’s no question that the internet boom has affected mailing business. Just ask yourself: how often do you go to the post office to mail someone a letter? How do you pay your bills?

• Competition – FEDEX, UPS, DHL to name a few. Do you trust USPS to deliver your important documents? How many companies and businesses do not use USPS for their big shipment?

Should USPS Close Outlets Here in JSQ?

Jersey City is a diverse town. Here in Journal Square, you’ll see various ethnic communities. We have Egyptians, Indians, Asians, African-Americans, Hispanics, Italians, and Irish to name some. Many people still rely on USPS to send mails and letters to their countries of origin.

How about age? Based on Jersey City’s General Demographics Statistics, half of Jersey City’s total population of approximately 600K are between ages 35 and 85 years old (and over). How many of those do you think know how to use the internet? I am under the assumption that these residents are more accustomed to walking or driving to the post office for their bills, letters, postcards, money orders and others. Walk by JSQ Branch and see how many people are waiting in the line.

But are these reasons good enough to keep the stations open?

Also posted on 07306 Forum

Related posts:

1. USPS Five Corners to close?
2. USPS Five Corners in Journal Square Jersey City
3. JSQ Post Office Christmas Schedule

Post Office on Newark Avenue, Jersey City north-east of Journal Square PATH Station. It is a small office and residents might miss it especially if they are new here in Journal Square.

United States Postal Service
Description: Post office, letters, mails, parcel
Address: 645 Newark Avenue, Jersey city 07306 (Map)
Phone: (800) ASK-USPS | (201) 798-2704
Business Hours: (Mon-Fri 8:30-5:00pm | Sat 8:30-4:00pm | Sun closed)

Related posts:

1. USPS Five Corners to close?
2. USPS JSQ vs USPS Five Corners: Which One is in Trouble?
3. Post Office Journal Square Branch