It’s a no-brainer that the owner and tenants at the former Wileywood Nursery want to reopen a branch post office.
All that lovely package-mailing foot traffic and those potential shoppers could cruise by bulbs, antique doll houses and fresh flowers.
But there is a $16,000 problem standing between the mall and the mail.
Wileywood Nursery, a landmark on the Bothell-Everett Highway a mile south of Mill Creek, sold two years ago to Jeff Amsberry, who owns a painting company. He leases to My Garden nursery and Mill Creek Trading Co.
My Garden plans a grand opening Nov. 4. They sell gardening and landscaping supplies. The trading space is an eclectic blend of artist’s nooks, with hand-hewn furniture, Indonesian jackets and yard art.
The old postal station is sealed with boards in the rear of Mill Creek Trading Co. Folks can still get to their post office boxes, but that’s it. Those wishing to avoid typical crowds at the Mill Creek post office can no longer avoid the downtown crush.
There is no slipping in and out to mail packages lickety-split.
On Aug. 21, creeps stole $16,000 in postage stamps from a safe on the property. Amsberry, a former teacher, has to pay the post office for the stamps before he can reopen the postal outlet. His insurance didn’t cover the loss.
He said he doesn’t have $16,000 laying around.
Who would?
And what are thieves doing with all those stamps?
The Edmonds native said the loss of the post office to the community is huge. Customers on a typical day numbered 75 to 200 and up to 500 per day before the holiday rush.
“The community wants this post office back,” Amsberry said. “The businesses need it back. It’s pivotal.”
If only 16,000 people would each donate one dollar, he said wistfully.
Though folks can’t drop by the postal branch to register a letter, they can buy gardening supplies from Jenny Gunderson and Bill Raynolds, who met working at Molbaks in Woodinville.
“We specialize in container gardening,” Gunderson said. “We’ll be a good neighborhood nursery in a fun environment.”
She said they are certainly hoping the branch post office reopens.
“One of the exciting things is having the post office here and the small town feel,” Gunderson said. “That’s what we’re all about.”
Next door, John Chugwater, who also owns Port Gamble Trading Company in Port Gamble, makes driftwood furniture and cedar sculptures at Mill Creek Trading Co., featured on TV shows such as “Evening Magazine.”
Chugwater rents space to a variety of artisans who sell jewelry, crafts, doggy duds and antiques. He said he would welcome traffic from folks who would come in to use the post office.
Bonnie Mentzer used to work at the post office and still distributes mail to post office boxes. She said customers are upset when they have to journey a mile down the highway to the Mill Creek post office.
If only they had $16,000 to reopen the postal station. If only I had $95 to buy the antique dollhouse.
Columnist Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451 or oharran@heraldnet.com
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