USPS agrees to keep Akron Post Office open

The US Postal Service has changed course and signed a five-year lease to keep the Akron Post Office open.

USPS told the community they were closing the Akron office on Oct. 31 and told the Black Belt News Network this week that the closure was because they did not renew the lease with the office’s property owner. 

Akron residents would have to drive 15 miles to the Moundville Post Office after closure.

USPS closed the post office in mid-October and placed services in a mobile unit outside the original building.

The community started a change.org petition to fight the closure, saying it was an important way for them to receive medications, bills, Social Security checks and other important correspondence. 

More from this section

Study finds Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’ matches July 1889 sky

Helena summit focuses on getting more Montana food on local plates

Why the political ambition gap between men and women persists even at the local level

Congresswoman Terri Sewell got involved and sent a letter to USPS on Oct. 16 asking to keep the office open. Sewell and Akron Mayor Christopher Rollins hosted a community meeting on Tuesday, saying residents didn’t get clear instructions on how to access their mail, and the closure was too close to the Nov. 3 general election. She is on the ballot for re-election of her District 7 seat.

On Friday, Sewell reported that USPS had reentered negotiations to continue the lease and signed a five-year nonrenewal.

“I am thrilled that USPS has reversed course and that the Akron Post Office will remain open," Sewell said in a statement. "Our communities deserve access to the essential services they rely on, and I was proud to stand with the people of Akron to make our voices heard.”

The USPS says they will move back into the original building and reinstall the equipment and infrastructure that was previously removed.

Sewell’s office says the Akron Post Office will resume operations once the necessary postal equipment is returned. In the meantime, customers may continue to conduct retail transactions, including mailing letters and picking up packages, at the mobile retail unit onsite.