Postal Service May Close Linden Location

South San Francisco's Linden Street post office is being considered for closure by the United States Postal Service.

The Postal Service placed the downtown post office on a list of 3,700 post offices nationwide that may be shuttered to contain costs. Mail volume has decreased 20 percent over the last four years, according to James Wigdel, a U.S. Postal Service spokesperson, and closing some of its 32,000 offices nationwide will help contain costs.

"It comes down to the way people use the post office is changing," Wigdel said, noting that customers increasingly use usps.com and can buy postal products at third-party retailers.

Wigdel said the decision on the Linden Street post office will go through a public review process, which will include public questionnaires and a public meeting.

"The doors aren't going to be closed next week," Wigdel said. "We also look at proximity to other postal locations, other places to buys stamps, whether or not the post office is still being used. Everything will be looked at on a case-by-case basis."

Customers at the Linden Street post office on Tuesday were surprised to hear that it might close.

"It's a really convenient facility because it's around our business area," said Sarhi Rizo. "It would be bad if they closed it."

Closing the Linden Street post office would put pressure on the already crowded post office on Chestnut Avenue, said Michele Ferro, who works at Giorgi Bros. Furniture downtown.

"It's going to make that one a nightmare," Ferro said. "They work in slow motion."

But Jane Leong, a postal supervisor, said she doubted the Linden Street post office would close.

"It's a landmark," Leong said, citing the murals inside that depict South City's history. "It's beautiful."