Alpine residents Erika and Rich Simmons celebrated on Monday, Oct. 2, as the couple became the new owners of the Postal Annex located at 2710 Alpine Blvd, Suite K.
A military family, Rich Simmons is an aviation maintenance officer of 26 years, currently stationed on the USS Theodore Roosevelt as the maintenance and material control officer, responsible for all maintenance issues, inspections, repairs, and upgrades of aircraft and related equipment.
Rich Simmons said buying the business is a passion of his wife, Erika.
“She has always wanted something in the community to show our kids what it is like to have a family-run business and be ingrained in the community,” he said. “This was really her passion. We live here in Alpine. We love the community, and we want to keep it going. The opportunity fell in our laps, and we took the opportunity and took advantage of it. She is in it all the way, neck-deep in it right now.”
Rich Simmons said their oldest child turns 16 in December and will start working parttime then.
The couple purchased the business from its now former owner Rose Signore, and they are not changing the name of the business.
“We still want people to know that they can come here for everything that they need,” he said. “It is a staple of Alpine, and we want to keep it going that way. We do plan on having some new and different merchandise for sale in the gift shop and really get a feel of the community and what they like.”
Postal Annex provides, shipping, packaging, UPS mailing, FedEx next-day, air, ground, USPS.
“We are that service that is something a little more special,” he said. “Better tracking, and better ways to get whatever you need, to wherever you need it, as soon as possible. We have mailboxes here as well. Safe and secure. Many mailboxes have been getting broke into, so we have a safe and secure location, and centrally located. You come in and we take care of your mail for you.”
“We can do freight as well,” he continued. “We are going to have a phenomenal gift shop. We are having our soft opening on Saturday, Oct. 7, with our Chamber of Commerce grand opening on Oct. 14.”