The longstanding United States Postal Service counter within the Oxendale’s Market at Hamline and Randolph avenues is still accepting stamped, prepackaged mail, but a contract dispute has removed a postal clerk from the last USPS location in St. Paul located within a street-corner grocery.

Grocery managers have declined to make official comment to the media on the details, but they’ve told customers that discussions around renewing the USPS contract at the market are ongoing. The clerk left about two months ago. A sign on the grocery’s front door reads: “Due to unforeseen circumstances the post office is CLOSED. We do not have a reopen date at this time. You can still drop off prepaid packages and letters. Out of stamps!”

A spokesperson for USPS had no immediate comment but said this week he would look into the matter.

At the federal level, the Elon Musk-driven Department of Government Efficiency has made no secret of its efforts to cut 10,000 workers from the United States Postal Service, leading to some speculation on neighborhood social media sites that the Oxendale’s counter closure is related. It’s unclear if there’s an indirect tie, but store workers have said issues tying up the contract renewal appear fairly mundane.

Related Articles

St. Paul clears homeless encampment near Lafayette Road

Letters: This is what was promised, what Americans voted for

St. Paul City Council establishes new public safety committee

St. Paul City Council gets an earful on rent control, tenant protections

New MN office for missing, murdered Black women and girls aims to build awareness