Meet Vanessa Moore of Alpha Postal Service in Hawthorne

Today we’d like to introduce you to Vanessa Moore.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I worked as an employee for AT&T for 32 years. The managers were given an early retirement offer or wait to see if you will get laid-off. I accepted the early retirement offer. After taking six months off to do nothing, I searched out entrepreneurial opportunities.

I looked at property management franchises, Shaved Ice franchises and the UPS Store. Instead of a UPS store, I decided to open an Independent Mailbox Store. Almost three years later, we are still here, serving the community with key products, such as LiveScans/Fingerprinting, Notary Services, Shipping and Mailbox Rentals. We do offer some retail items but are looking to add more to our offering.

Has it been a smooth road?
Owning a small business has been challenging. Learning the shipping business and getting noticed by the community were both challenging. It took a while to get comfortable with the shipping business and determine what additional revenue streams would work at our location. COVID-19 create a challenge that none of us were ready to handle. This slowed down the business but also brought us additional business in the area of LiveScans/Fingerprinting. Most stores that offered this service shut-down or preferred not to offer the service because of the close contact that is required to complete the scan. I decided to take on the additional LiveScan opportunities, which has helped us to stay open during these challenging times.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Alpha Postal Service – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Alpha Postal Service is an Independent Mailbox Store. We offer a variety of products and services but the key services are Mailbox Rentals, Shipping (domestic & international), Notary and LiveScan. During the closure of the school, we had the opportunity to provide printing services to both parents and schools for class assignments.

Our faxing service has been a great help to those that needed to fax their Employment Development Department applications to receive unemployment support. We are known for our customer service. We have some customers that will pay more to ship with us because of our patience and how we treat each person with dignity and respect. I am proud of the fact that we are still here serving the community and hope to be open for the next ten years.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
What I like best is the Entrepreneurial spirit. During COVID-19, I have seen people create new businesses. There are many who are using their skills to create masks, to sell online products and to make face shields.

As a business owner, what I like least is the city not allowing banners and flags to advertise the business. The City of Hawthorne does not allow this type of advertising. It is difficult to get the word out that you are here and ready to serve the community. There are alternatives such as flyers and online advertisement but Banners & Flags will get the attention of potential customers that are passing by the store location.

Contact Info:

• Address: 12816 Inglewood Ave, Hawthorne CA 90250
• Website: www.alphapostalservice.com
• Phone: 424-675-4755
• Email: alphapostalservice@gmail.com
• Instagram: @alphapostal
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlphaPostal/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/alpha-postal-service-hawthorne

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