Wilmette’s post office will likely not reopen fully until January as work continues on repairing the damage from Nov. 10.
That was when what appears to be a large patch of the ceiling crashed down on the floor of the downtown facility, according to photos shared by the United States Postal Service. Most postal operations have moved to post offices in neighboring suburbs.
The damage to the roughly 90-year-old building was probably “weather-related,” USPS spokesman Tim Norman told Pioneer Press. The first snowstorm of the season had just doused Wilmette.
That leaves the post office unusable at a busy time of year, when customers are mailing Christmas cards, buying stamps for them and sending holiday gift packages.
On the day of the incident, a postal employee was “locking the door and heard this noise” of the ceiling panels falling down, Norman said. Since then, construction crews have been working on repairs.
Last week, some postal workers and customers appeared to be coming and going, but most services remain relocated outside of Wilmette. And village residents will continue to have to go elsewhere through the end of the holidays.
“We regret the inconvenience” the incident caused, Norman said.
P.O. Box and post office retail services have moved to the Kenilworth post office. Meanwhile, carriers have moved to the Winnetka post office, and the USPS said that customers making drop shipments should go there. “Delivery attempted packages” may also be picked up in Winnetka.
Here are the regular hours and addresses of those post offices. All are closed Sundays:
- Kenilworth: 408 Green Bay Road. Mondays through Fridays, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays, 9 a.m. to noon.
- Winnetka: 512 Chestnut St. Mondays through Fridays, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Two other post offices close to Wilmette include:
- Evanston: 1929 Central St. Mondays through Fridays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Northfield: 1787 Orchard Lane. Mondays through Fridays, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturdays, 9 a.m. through 2:30 p.m.
