Politics & Government

Can Booze Save the US Postal Service?

Legal alcohol delivery could make the U.S. Postal Service $50 million per year.

Written by Patch Editor Jacob Bourne.

With the U.S. Postal Service reporting a $740 million loss for the third quarter of 2013, mail officials are scrambling to figure out how to make the agency profitable. 

A ingredient to the recovery could be alcohol.

According to The Huffington Post, U.S. Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe recently pitched an idea to allow the U.S. Postal Service to deliver beer, wine and spirits directly from wineries, breweries and distilleries straight to your doorstep. 

"U.S. law currently prevents the Postal Service from mailing alcohol," The Huffington Post reported. "The Postal Service even asks customers to cover any alcohol-related logos or labels if they choose to use an alcoholic beverage box for shipping."

Do you think Congress should allow the U.S. Postal Service to deliver alcohol? Would you use the service? Tell us in the comments!

Donahoe claims that adding alcohol delivery could raise $50 million per year.

But while the plan could generate dollars in theory, many smaller businesses like craft and microbreweries would likely not have the staff, resources and inventory to meet the demand of alcohol delivery service.

Additionally, local alcohol vendors in University Place could certainly take a hit if residents start turning to the mailman instead of making a beer run on their own.  


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