The U.S. Postal Service is expected to close its 200 N. Davis Drive location in Warner Robins after a full workday Tuesday.

A lease dispute resulted in a July 23, 2009, announcement that the Postal Service was considering closing the location, which was met by public outcry. Elected officials and community leaders stepped in to negotiate with the Postal Service for a one-year extension until Feb. 11. The closure date is now Feb. 15.

During discussions about saving the post office, the suggestion was made that the Happy Hour Service Center might consider entering into a commercial mail operation.

Happy Hour’s Exceptional Mail & More opened next door at 202 N. Davis Drive on Feb. 1.

Nancy Ross, a spokeswoman for the Postal Service, noted by telephone that the main post office on Russell Parkway offers all the amenities that the North Davis Drive location offered.

Box holders at the North Davis Drive post office received a letter from the Postal Service in January offering the option of keeping the same box number if they moved their box to the post office at 904 Russell Parkway.

“Because of the drastic decline in mail volume, the postal service is in a fiscal crisis and must take action to reduce the size of its retail delivery network,” the letter stated.

“By consolidating, streamlining and adjusting our operations, the postal service becomes a more efficient and effective organization.”

The North Davis Drive post office currently has 726 rented boxes, Ross said in an e-mail.

A few customers have closed their boxes and asked for home delivery or moved them to Happy Hour’s commercial mail operation, she said.

Affected postal workers will be reassigned, according to a Postal Service news release.

Postal Service records indicate that the North Davis Drive location opened in 1959, Ross said.

To contact writer Becky Purser, call 256-9559.