Deadline looms to save the Olga Store, post office

— from Friends of Olga Store —

What: The United States Postal Service is about to decide whether the Olga Post Office will be located in the historic Olga Store building or in a modular unit on the main street of Olga.

We need to let them know that Olga and the larger Orcas community support the Olga Store as the future home of the post office.

When: USPS is accepting comments until August 10.

If you live in Olga and have received a pre-addressed postcard, please mail in your card. If you do not have an Olga address, send in a note or card. Your comment should be mailed on Tuesday or Wednesday morning at the latest. 

Who: Mail comments to: Greg Shelton, United States Postal Service, 200 E. Kentucky Ave, Denver, CO 80209-4058. Include your return address to make comments valid.

Why: The building currently housing the Olga Post Office has been sold and is no longer available. The Olga Store is a beloved landmark, well suited to house the post office. At a community meeting with USPS on July 11, over 200 people voiced a near-unanimous vote to relocate to the Olga Store. We now need to express this on the record.

How: Here are answers to some frequent questions about the relocation of the post office.

See more at theolgastore.org

• How does USPS feel about the relocation? USPS has expressed a desire to accommodate the community’s wishes and a willingness to relocate to the store. USPS will pay for whatever interior remodeling is necessary for the area the post office will occupy.
• How is the building being acquired? A non-profit organization, Friends of the Olga Store, has been formed and is negotiating the purchase. Funding includes low-interest loans, donations, and rent from USPS and from another business, potentially a bakery cafe.
• How about problems with the building itself Many speculated problems have been resolved. For example, the old gas tanks were cleaned up and the soil tested a number of years ago. More questions answered on the website listed above.
• How will parking be provided? Six parking spaces are available next to the building, with potential for more to be added.
• How long before Olga has a post office again? Either option (the Olga Store or a modular) will take at least a year. In the meantime Olga residents will use rural delivery or temporary mailboxes located outdoors and will receive larger packages in Eastsound.

For more information see https://www.theolgastore.org