By Annabeth Miiler,
ShowMe Times Editor

The United States Postal Service announced Tuesday that it is reviewing 3,700 retail locations across the country for possible closure, including more than 160 in Missouri.

Included on the list released Tuesday are facilities in Greyridge and Brownwood in Stoddard County, as well as the Southeast Missouri communities of Blodgett, Bragg City, Bragadodico, Canalou, Catron, Dutchtown, Gobler, Tallapoosa, Vanduser and Whitewater.

In a statement, Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe said customers are not using offices as much as they used to.

"Our customer's habits have made it clear that they no longer require a physical post office to conduct most of their postal business," said Donahoe. "The Postal Service of the future will be smaller, leaner and more competitive and it will continue to drive commerce, serve communities and deliver value."

In the statement, Donahoe said some communities that lose retail locations might get what USPS is calling a Village Post Office, smaller automated stations or a local vendor that sells stamps and flat-rate boxes. “Today, more than 35 percent of the Postal Service’s retail revenue comes from expanded access locations such as grocery stores, drug stores, office supply stores, retail chains, self-service kiosks, ATMs and usps.com, open 24/7,” said Donahoe.

For communities currently without a postal retail office and for communities affected by these retail optimization efforts, the Postal Service introduced the Village Post Office as a potential replacement option. Village Post Offices would be operated by local businesses, such as pharmacies, grocery stores and other appropriate retailers, and would offer popular postal products and services such as stamps and flat-rate packaging.

“By working with third-party retailers, we’re creating easier, more convenient access to our products and services when and where our customers want them,” Donahoe said. “The Village Post Office will offer another way for us to meet our customers’ needs.”