I left the U of M after thirty years in Mail Service, from clerk to eventually Manager in 1983 and opened the first private Mailing Service in downtown Ann Arbor. As the original owner of the Mail Shoppe, I opened it at 323 E. William Street in June 1983. When I opened the Mail Shoppe, we were the sole source in Ann Arbor.

We found a niche that was badly needed to all the businesses from Main Street up to State Street and even some on South University Ave. Everyone could bring their daily mail to the Mail Shoppe and we would process it for them. The U of M Credit Union was our very first customer and still is today.

Of course, with no local UPS center in AA, one had to drive to Ypsilanti. We offered this service and it went over like sliced bread. We were swamped with parcels every day.

During the spring with the University students move-out, we filled a UPS semi truck daily for about two weeks everyday.

We moved to its present location in the spring of 1988. Our original building had been sold for the Ann Arbor library addition. My brother built that yellow mailbox in 1983 and we moved it when we moved in 1988. It is definitely a symbol of the Mail Shoppe.

We sold the home and business to Carolyn Hough in August 1998 and have been retired ever since.

I wish continued success to Carolyn as it’s a whole new ball game today. Everyone wants a piece of this business by offering UPS and Fed Exp shipping.

Just a few items about the history of this little business still thriving today.

Doug Barnett
734 665 8044