WINSTON-SALEM, NC — Residents of Welcome, NC, have a more convenient option for purchasing stamps and shipping packages. Welcome Village Post Office (VPO), situated inside Quik Chek #2 convenience store, opened for business on December 31, 2014.

The new VPO is located at 6555 Old US Highway 52, and postal services are available seven days a week.

Welcome VPO offers a specific range of postal products and services including booklets of First-Class postage stamps, Flat-Rate prepaid Priority Mail products and limited mail acceptance. Its hours are Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to midnight, Saturday from 6 a.m. to midnight, and Sunday from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The Postal Service announced the Village Post Office concept in July 2011 as a way to increase access to postal products and services in the more rural communities across the nation. Located within communities in a variety of locations — convenience stores, gas stations, local businesses, libraries or other government agencies — VPOs are operated by the management of those locations.

Business establishments interested in applying for a contract with the Postal Service to start a Village Post Office in their local community should contact: vpo.inquiry@usps.gov. Additional information about Village Post Offices, including where they are located, can be found at usps.com/villagepostoffice.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

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