mailbox waiting list

[Adam79]

I live in Volcano and am on the wait list at the post office here. In theory I don't mind dealing with general delivery. The big problem is that the counter is only open 7:30 to 3:30 weekdays. Since my wife and I both work full time we really can only pick up our mail once or maybe twice a week. I have heard of Volcono residents getting a P.O. box at KMC in the park. Does anybody know if you have to be military to do so?

[JerryCarr]

If either of you work in Hilo, the Airport post office has a fairly short waiting list and the boxes are accessible just about any time. We have a new neighbor who got a box there recently in less than a month.

Cheers,
Jerry

[hooligal]

I use One Stop Mail Shop. It's the place in Pahoa next to Serius Coffee that "looks empty"...but it's not! Kevin just re-arranged the furniture a few weeks ago & you can't see his desk from the street

I called Kevin 3 weeks *before* I left the mainland & he gave me a box (aka a Hawaii address) over the phone! It made things SO much easier to have a Hawaii mailing address before I moved... I could get a new 808 cell phone number with Cingular while still in California, transfer my Credit Card billing addys ahead of time & send parcel post boxes to myself early so that they arrived right after I got here.

I've been thrilled with every aspect of having my box with Kevin and there's never a line at One Stop.... a big plus once you've stood in line at the Pahoa office on a hot day!

Some really important high notes with One Stop:
* they have boxes available *now*.
* they're in Pahoa, which is close to HPP.
* you get a real street address, not a PO Box number, so all online retailers will deliver your goodies.
* you can autopay every month with a credit card if you want to.
* Kevin is holding my mail for me while I am on the mainland for 3 weeks. The last time I was at the Pahoa post office, the postmaster chided a customer because they didn't have someone pick up their mail while they were gone, or put a 'vacation hold' on their mail.
* Kevin called me once to let me know my packages had arrived (which I had been checking for every day)
* I've called Kevin on a few occassions to see if an important package had arrived. Saved me a trip into Pahoa!
* I've received UPS, Fedex, USPS priority mail and USPS insured at One Stop. Kevin is there to sign for your packages! He also *sends* UPS, Fedex and USPS Priority mail. yay!
* Kevin always offers to help me carry big boxes out to my car - what a treat!
* I can send and receive faxes at One Stop too.
* did I mention NO LINES?
* I've called Kevin to ask if my housemate could pick up my mail for me that day - no problem!
* Kevin knows all of his customers by name and always greets you with Aloha and a smile.

I'm not knocking the Pahoa Post Office. They're doing their job, by the USPS rules & they have always been patient, helpful and nice. I'm sure they'd be just as helpful if time allowed, but they just have too many customers to do so.

But, even if I could get a box at the post office, I 'd still go with One Stop. Kevin's probably blushing by now

-Erin

[stringbucket]

Does anyone think that since HPP will be getting paved roads in the future, that there will be someday home mail delivery?

[lotus]

I just called One Stop in Pahoa, and Kevin gave me a box number and address right over the phone. So much nicer than all the hoops I would have had to jump through to be on a waiting list for a PO box.... What a nice guy, too.

Well, we're arriving in about 3 weeks and getting excited, nervous, stressed, happy, all at the same time... Erik and I keep randomly bursting into huge smiles and shouting "We're moving to Hawaii!!!"

[lquade]

the post office does not like to give non residents boxes because they can "fill-up" within a week if no one is coming in to check the mail..then the po has to put this mail in another special place and transfer it over when you empty your box. then you also get all the junk mail... just be gone for a couple of weeks and see the pile of mail times several months wait....

[Kapohocat]

Having watched Hooligal's ease with OSMS - I have also thought of transferring my mail up there although Kapoho boxes are like gold!

Kevin - I was wondering if you can do a once in awhile deal - i.e. a gen del kinda thing and charge just per box delivery? I have had boxes sent to my mom & dad in Honomu just to avoid Pahoa PO - of course I get lunch out there too when I pick it up!

[JerryCarr]

Aloha Stringbucket. I don't think the USPS will be moved by the paving to do home delivery in HPP. Although they deliver to homes on horrid dirt roads in Texas and other places, the excuse they have used here is that the roads are private. Of course that raises the interesting question of why they come into HPP on the private roads to the cluster boxes that are here. The HPP Association is supposedly trying to get new cluster boxes installed, but seems to be having trouble finding safe and legal places to put them, as well as being preoccupied with paving issues. Maybe after the roads are paved we will get more cluster boxes. Or maybe not. Welcome to the world of public services in Puna.

Cheers,
Jerry

[1 STOP MAIL SHOP]

Thank you hooligal & lotus for the kind posts, I have to admitt I was blushing for sure.....Kapohocat I can absolutely accomodate a once in a while deal to have packages sent to my store via any of the carriers on a pay as they come basis, I do this for quite a few residence in this area and they are happy with the service as far as I can tell. Thanks again all for the positive feedback and support you have given to us here, if there is any way we can assist your mailing and shipping needs in the future feel free to call and ask, if we cant help I will do all I can to guide you in the correct direction.

Aloha
965-1111

Kevin Costello & Meghan Wobles