What makes Post Offices a "great place to be social"?

[cyndiepooh]

Topic question is a reference to the criteria eligibility examples: Niantic Wayfarer

The Post Office topic comes up from time to time, usually from people wanting to submit other delivery services. I think official USPS offices have historic and place defining value, but not the other businesses. The only input I can find from Niantic as to why these are eligible is very old:

ACCEPT. Connects and unites people around the world.

If the value of a post office is just the ability to send mail to others, then maybe UPS and FedEx should be eligible, too, but that doesn’t feel right.

[26thDoctor]

I think Post Offices, certainly at least in the UK, were a way for people to connect with each other even if it was just your granny sending out her 437 Christmas cards every year.

I’m not sure that same connection still exists through the post.

[DTrain2002]

In the past, post offices were more social hubs than they are now, since it was the one place in town where you could receive communications from others, unlike today with email, text, and DMs being available.

Being from a rural town, everyone knows who works at the post office, and many times you do stay awhile to chat with the workers there, and even those that have come in. I live in a larger city now, almost always use the self-serve kiosk or have postage on my mail so I just have to drop it off, so I don’t spend much time in any of my post offices these days.

You may run into a friend when mailing a letter or package, or even go there for services other than mailing. For example, many US post offices offer passport photo services. They may even sell greeting cards and packaging supplies in some, if needed.

I think it’s more so considered a social hub with Niantic in the historical sense, but it may also be one of the few social hubs in a rural area. I know this is what some of the ambos have said on the subject in the past.

Also, some post offices in larger areas may be located at places that may be social hubs themselves, like a shopping center or a grocery store. The northend post office in my city is in a shopping center, which is also home to a grocery store and other stores.

As for UPS and FedEx locations maybe being eligible, this would be tough, as they are private chain businesses, whereas most post offices are government run and always accessible to the public. I doubt UPS/FedEx, even Amazon, would want the public hanging around their distribution centers, which may only have a small space open to the public, or only open to employees.

[Dadcaesar]

Post Office: Traditionally a place that all locals know the location of. So often people would agree to meet at the post office when going to town. This is still case but not as common these days, I think.

So many people now agree to meet at coffee club, Macdonalds, KFC and so on. They may not be going in but everyone knows where it is. Lots of social meet ups do occur in these establishments, of course. They are ineligible as being generic.

They all started with one shop, however, and are sort of penalised for being successful. That new local mum and dad cafe is accepted but will be lucky to last a year before it is a different owner and name.

Why is a signal / electrical box with scribble on it immediately approved? Only wayfarers rush to a suburb to check out these utility boxes ha ha …

Lots of anomalies … but we do need POIs to play the games.

Maybe one person’s interest is another’s boredom …

[CrownFeather]

At least in Japan, the postal service has been privatized, but it is the only service that sends written (paper) correspondence, and although there are delivery services in Japan, such as UPS and Fedex, as well as Kuroneko Yamato and Sagawa Express, enclosing correspondences in them is prohibited by the Postal Law.
The postal service is responsible for correspondence, which is a document used to communicate from one person or entity to another person or entity individually. Today, most of these communications have moved from paper to e-mail and social networking services, but my father and mother still send New Year’s cards to relatives and old friends to confirm each other’s health and to continue their friendship. Therefore, I have no doubts that the post office is an example of the best place for exchanges.

[MargariteDVille]

The above is all true.

Also, back in 2012, it was easy to get a list of post offices, to seed the database (now known as Lightship). I’ve used the extensive list in a job - we needed to know how far each customer was from a post office (even a small one).

Wikipedia uses this same database, but just the larger ones: List of United States post offices - Wikipedia

[cyndiepooh]

For the record, I am always stumped when someone asks me this question, or worse, argues that it doesn’t, because … of course it does. I also grew up with the Post Office being the most recognizable spot in town where all the locals would end up most days. Thanks for the responses and keep them coming! Especially would love an official Niantic response but not holding my breath for that.