Bryn Mawr's Historic Office to Cease Operations

The news was expected, but sad nonetheless, said Fred Ramos, long-time Bryn Mawr resident.

On Friday afternoon, the United States Postal Service announced it would close the historic Bryn Mawr office Oct. 28. The postal service cited “historic declines in mail volume and changing customer mailing preferences,” for their decision.

“This will put a lot of burden on people who live on fixed incomes,” said Ramos, who expects that at least some of the needed changeover will be costly to residents. Changing addresses or location of delivery could mean added expense for some, he said.

Bryn Mawr, a small community that once housed many of the area's citrus workers, has had its own post office for 116 years. Today, that third incarnation off of Newport is the one that will close. The small brick building is no more than a block from the modern office on Barton Road.

Residents were alerted earlier this year that the post office was on the chopping block. In April, officials met with a group of concerned residents to answer questions. The closure is a cost-cutting measure, Postal Service officials said.

Inside the Bryn Mawr office, there is no room for postage stamp vending machines. Its P.O. boxes are old and, though artfully adorned, not like the slick silver metallic doors on the new boxes. There are far fewer boxes in the old office than there are in the recently renovated Barton Road location.

The office cannot meet the current demand for service. Add to that the financial strain the agency is under, officials said. In a written statement San Diego District Manager Dallas W. Keck wrote that the “Postal Service is looking at every aspect of our business to reduce over-capacity in retail and delivery operations while maintaining record service levels. Every effort is being made to improve and expand access to postal services at locations that are most convenient to our customers.”

In the release, they point out there are several postal service centers nearby.

But for Ramos, it’s about heritage. The change means some will lose the 92318 zip code, he said.

In April, residents were told that mail would be delivered to cluster boxes placed throughout the community instead of their P.O. Boxes. Those residents will retain their 92318 zip code. But most residents, accustomed to getting their mail directly from the post office, do not trust the community mailboxes.

Many will opt for a post office box, Ramos said. When they do, they will be switched to the 92354 code.

“If we lose our zip code, we lose our (identity),” Ramos said. “Even though many people still know us as Bryn Mawr, officially we’re Loma Linda.”

“That’s been our since identity since 1863,” he said. “Changing our zip code is really like changing our name to Smith or George.”

Postal operations will now shift to the nearby Loma Linda office at 25925 Barton Road.