CENTRAL FLORIDA,None — The U.S. Postal Service is set to lose $238 billion over the next decade, and it announced on Tuesday that it could close thousands of post office branches. WFTV learned that seven of the post offices are in Central Florida.
The downtown Winter Garden post office closed for the day at 2:30pm on Tuesday, but if it closes for good, it could save the postal service about $55,000 a year.
Reports said the closures could happen by the end of the year
The downtown Winter Garden post office has been in service for decades. It's on the U.S. Postal Service's possible hit list. Winter Garden resident, Jeanne Holland, has been going there to pick up her mail since she moved to Winter Garden in the 1980s.
"We love it, and we have a nice guy who works here. We're pleased with it, and we hate to see it close," said Holland.
The U.S. Postal Service is considering closing 3,700 branches all across the country to save as much as $200 million a year. Thirty-four are potentially going to close in Florida and seven of those are in Central Florida.
In Lake County, there's the Haines Creek post office in Leesburg. In Orange County, the older branch in downtown Winter Garden. In Osceola County, the Buena Ventura Lakes office could close.
In Altamonte Springs, the Prairie Lake station could close, and in Brevard County, three post office branches could close. There's two in Cocoa Beach and one in Melbourne Beach.
The postal service said some of the branches on the list are within 10 miles of other branches, which is the case in Winter Garden, with a newer branch less than two miles away.
"I do understand, but it's a small town and now the downtown is building, so it's just so convenient. I'd hate to see it close," said Holland.
WFTV learned that some workers would lose their jobs if all 3,700 branches closed, and the postal service said they are still trying to do away with Saturday delivery.