Columbia Street Post Office to Close

As reported by Patch last month, to service and its number of processing centers in 2012 to avoid bankruptcy. Last week, the owner of Cobble Hill's local post office, Rita Farone, learned that her location was one of 3,700 local offices that will be closed.

"I had been given a heads up by someone that I might be getting a letter," she said. "Later that week, it arrived in the mail. I was shocked. I still am."

Farone, who has run the tiny processing center at 257 Columbia Street between President and Carroll Streets for the last 17 years with her husband said the mandate was sent by the Postal Union. "There was no explanation, nothing whatsoever," she said. In reaction, Farone has started a petition to keep her doors open, already filling 10 sheets with signatures.

"I use this post office every week," said 2nd Place resident Jim Huffman. "I have an eBay business and it is much easier for me to cross the Summit Street bridge to drop off packages than it is to dodge cars like in Frogger crossing Hamilton to go to the Red Hook post office or waiting all day to schedule a pick up from USPS for all the packages. It would be a shame to lose this place."

"I've been told I will have to shut down on March 30," said Farone. "I have so many customers who this will be an inconvenience for: the elderly, people with kids and strollers. They rely on my business. It's really not fair."

Should the petition, copies of which will be sent to the Postal Union in the coming weeks, not prevent Farone's post office from closing, Farone said she has no plan for what her future will hold.

"I don't know what I will do," she said. "This is my job. I am losing my job."