March 28, 2024
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Legion assists Postal Service Mailboxes displaced by market closing to be housed in hall

BELFAST – When the closing of the Main Street Market put the Postal Service in a bind, the American Legion stepped up.

With the market at the corner of Main and Market streets set to close its doors today, the Postal Service needed a new location for the 400 mailboxes and stamp machine contract station it operated from the market lobby.

Enter the American Legion.

“We knew the post office was in need and we felt we could help them out by having the boxes at the Legion for the public’s convenience,” American Legion commander Albert Aldus said Friday. “We have parking, it’s handicapped accessible and we’re open every day.”

Aldus said the Postal Service would begin relocating the boxes to the Legion hall on Church Street over the weekend and have them ready after New Year’s Day.

He said the current layout in the Legion’s lobby was not large enough to hold all of the mailbox carousels that were at the market, but he hoped they could be accommodated with minor renovations. The Legion hall is located a few hundred feet from the market at the corner of Market and Church streets.

Tom Rizzo, of the Postal Service’s public affairs office, said any boxes the legion was unable to handle would be relocated to the Belfast post office on a temporary basis. Rizzo said the Postal Service hoped to reach a long-term solution with the Legion within days.

“Hopefully it will be resolved quickly,” said Rizzo. “If there is any disruption, we’re going to move heaven and earth to make sure it’s as seamless as possible. It’s not exactly a routine situation, but it’s not something we haven’t encountered before, especially when you have those contract stations.”

There have been a number of different operators of the former Samson’s store in the Belfast Plaza over the years, Main Street Market being the latest.

Ken and Jennifer Williams took over the location in 2003, but changing demographics and soaring energy costs made it difficult to continue in business.

If another operator does not come forward and the closing is permanent, it will mark the end of a grocery store within walking distance from the downtown, a prospect that troubles many residents.

“It’s terrible that the Belfast community cannot support a Mom and Pop grocery downtown,” said Susan Littlefield of Belmont. “We vote out Wal-Mart and we vote out Home Depot and yet we can’t support this. I just can’t believe there’s not enough people to support this store.”

Mayor Michael Hurley said it was unfortunate that the economic situation made it difficult to retain that type of small market in the downtown. He said the entire community was saddened for the Williams family as well as the difficulty the closing may pose to people who live in the downtown.

“Obviously, it’s a sad day,” said Hurley. “There always is the personal loss; we like the people who own it and we feel terrible for them. Then there are the thousands who shop there and those who live in the downtown within walking distance. People really like the convenience of being able to go there. Hopefully, there’s somebody out there who would be willing to take it on.”

American Legion commander Aldus agreed. He said the store was a longtime part of the community and he was disappointed that it was closing.

“The Legion did a lot of its shopping at Main Street Market and we’re sad to see it close,” said Aldus. “At least we could do something to help the post office.”


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