After eight months, the Norwood Post Office officially reopened its doors last Friday though it is still not fully operational.
Postmaster Travis Howard said the internet was hooked up on Thursday and mail has now been moved from the temporary delivery site of Mountain Grove back to the location in Norwood.
Customers are able to once again utilize the services of the lobby and P.O. Box customers are able to receive their mail at 100 N. Main St.
The outside blue box for mail to be dropped off in will be back in service some time this week.
Howard was told by USPS officials that he was able to open up two weeks ahead of schedule.
The Norwood Post Office has been closed since their metal roof was ripped off the building in a storm last May.
Contractors worked on the building through November to
repair the damage and get the building fully functional. Add in the need to wait for final safety inspections, this led to USPS officials not being able to begin their portion of the work inside the building until late November and early December. Howard said he had hopes to open the office back up before Christmas. Unfortunately, delays moved back the expected opening date.
When some Norwood residents went public with concerns on why the office was not yet reopened, the move was made to open the office. The heat/air unit still needs to be fixed. “…The plan was to open at the end of January,” Howard said. “It just happened to be two weeks ahead of that.” Store Manager Ronnie Kemper is back in the lobby as hours are 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, closed at lunch from noon-1 p.m. On Saturdays, it is open from 10 a.m.-noon.
