Mail Boxes West accepting mail and special deliveries

For a lot of people, foreclosure and the loss of a home are devastating. Along with the trauma of losing your home, a lot of the ripple effects can be downright distractions.

One of those is not having an address where mail can be sent. A Merced business has the answer to that problem.

Mail Boxes West, a small business in North Merced, has post office boxes available for customers, but unlike a post office box at a regular post office, this business offers more.

"At a regular post office, you can only get United States mail," said David Bigelow Jr., owner of the business. "Here you actually have a physical street address, and can have Federal Express and UPS packages delivered."

Bigelow took over the business from his father, David Bigelow Sr., in late 2008. The senior Bigelow had started the business in 1990, and his son decided to keep the little shop open when his father retired.

"I've been working here since I was in high school," Bigelow, 23, said. "I decided to give it a chance myself."

It's not just people who have lost their homes who use the post office boxes at Bigelow's business.

"A lot of small businesses use it, too," Bigelow said.

Because of the economy, some smaller businesses do not have an office, working out of their homes instead.

"A lot of small business owners don't want their business mail coming to their home address," Bigelow said.

Another reason people are using post office boxes is because of mail theft.

"When packages are left on porches, anyone can come and take that package," Bigelow said. "Here they are safe until they can be picked up."

Bigelow said he is the only mailbox business that offers 24-hour access for his customers. People with post office boxes are given a key to the outer door, and can get their mail at any time, except for packages. And Bigelow will work with people who are expecting packages.

"If a person has a package coming, we can make prior arrangements so they can pick it up after hours," Bigelow said.

The U.S. post office in Merced has a waiting list for post office boxes, Bigelow said, but because he was able to buy more boxes, he can accommodate people immediately.

"For a unit of 30 boxes, the regular price is $600," Bigelow said. "I was able to buy 120 new boxes from a little postal store in Los Angeles for $500. They normally would have cost me $2,500."

Bigelow charges people $12 a month for a post office box, but gives discounts if the box is paid for in advance.

The shop is also a full-service postal store, selling stamps, faxing copies, and sending packages.

"The shipping side of the business is way down," Bigelow said. "It used to be people would send a 50-pound Christmas package, but because of the economy, that just isn't happening anymore."

Bigelow said he has had 30 people sign up for boxes in the past month, and because of what he offers, he believes his business will make it through tough economic times.

"Because we offer a physical street address and have 24-hour access, I think I'll do OK," Bigelow said.

Reporter Carol Reiter can be reached at (209) 385-2486 or creiter@mercedsun-star.com.