Contract Postal Unit returns to Kapahulu neighborhood

Located within new Safeway retail complex

HONOLULU — The Nov. 9 opening of the largest Safeway supermarket in the country at 888 Kapahulu Avenue means more to area residents and businesses than access to a staggering assortment of fresh produce and meats. It also means the return of a Contract Postal Unit (CPU) to the Kapahulu neighborhood.

A CPU had been in operation in a strip mall formerly located on the site of the new Safeway retail complex for decades, but was closed in September 2006 to allow for the development of the property. The new Kapahulu CPU is conveniently located inside the 60,000-square-foot Safeway store, along with a mini-branch of First Hawaiian Bank.

The Kapahulu CPU is one of 15 CPUs on Oahu and one of 22 statewide. It features all of the services of a regular Post Office, except for P.O. Box rentals and the sale of money orders. The Kapahulu CPU is open for business from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays. It is closed on federal holidays.

“This new CPU will make it easier for our many of our Kapahulu and Diamond Head customers to access our services,” said U.S. Postal Service Retail Manager Nancy Wong. “Now they’ll be able to mail packages or purchase stamps while doing their grocery shopping.”

The Kapahulu CPU is owned and operated by Elaine Uchida. “When we closed our previous operation last September many of our customers expressed disappointment and encouraged us to open another CPU in the area,” she said. “I’m happy to be open again, and in such a nice location. We’re here and everything else is here, too. Our long-time customers will be happy to find that this complex allows them to take care of their postal, banking and shopping needs all in one stop.”