U.S. Postal Service removing stamp vending machines
People wanting to buy stamps after post office hours will no longer be able to get them in the lobby of the closed office.
The U.S. Postal Service began removing the vending machines from post offices and
other locations around the country this month. The spot where the machine sat in the Cape Girardeau post office is already vacant.
Cape Girardeau and Jackson postal employees said the machines were often in need of maintenance, and according to the U.S. Postal Service, some of the machines were 20 years old. Replacing the parts had become difficult because they were no longer manufactured, according to a statement on the service’s Web site.
Stamps will still be available over the counter at post offices during normal business hours. They can also be purchased online, by phone or by mail with a special form found in the post office.
Grocery and convenience stores as well as some ATMs will still sell them.
The U.S. Postal Service plans to install Automated Postal Centers in post offices. Customers would be able to weigh, pay postage for and ship packages from the machine as well as buy stamps.
As of right now, the closest APC is in Carbondale, Ill.
Officials from the postal service could not be reached for comment Thursday on when Cape Girardeau or Jackson will receive new machines.
