MACON, Ga. — Jasmine Henderson is one of the owners of Pynk Diamond Exotic Wear, a new shop in the Macon Flea Market. She says it's been a month since the store's inventory was supposed to be delivered by the U.S. Postal Service.
"It's going to this location, that location, this location, that location," Henderson said.
She said their March 16 grand opening didn't happen because USPS told her the package was in Warner Robins, but when she went to pick it up nothing was there.
"That's what makes it so emotional for me and it was stressful because they marking it in and it's like they're lying," Henderson said.
Overall, Henderson said she's invested $12,000 into opening the store. She said she spent $700 on their radio ads but had to pull them once she realized the grand opening wasn't happening.
"At that point, I started crying because I was like my grand opening is supposed to be the 16th. I made flyers and everything and it's now running on the radio," Henderson said.
Henderson is a digital IT agent for US Bank but had to take time off because of the stress.
"I have anxiety so I had to literally take a short-term disability leave. That's how bad it affected my mental [health] because I put so much of my personal money into this business because I believe in myself," Henderson said.
Her bother, Jaymureious Pollard, is the other owner of the store. He said he was frustrated to hear they weren't getting their inventory, but he's making the best with what they've got.
"We don't got our actual inventory but we'll still sell it because, like, still profit needs to be made. We still got stuff in here," Pollard said.
Henderson and Pollard said this is a lesson to learn when getting a business started, but Pollard said this won't hold them back forever.
"That's why we named it Pynk Diamonds. Diamonds don't rust so we ain't going to fall apart. We're a diamond we're not going to fall apart," Pollard said.
We reached out to USPS about this and received the following statement:
"The Postal Service plays an important role in the community, and we are committed to providing the best service possible. While a significant portion of mail and packages in the Atlanta area is being delivered in a timely manner, management is aware of the concerns of some local customers regarding their mail and package delivery and are working quickly to resolve any issues. Operations are improving as we continue to make significant investments in the Atlanta area, including new sorting machines, upgraded facilities and more efficient transportation, that will help ensure our organization can provide reliable delivery services for years to come. We sincerely express our apologies to our customers who may have experienced a deviation from our normal dependable service and appreciate their patience. Customers are reminded that, if they need assistance with mailing or shipping concerns, they have a variety of options for reaching us, including contacting a manager or supervisor at their local Post Office, calling 1-800-ASK-USPS(1-800-275-8777), or visiting our website at www.usps.com.
The Postal Service’s lease on the facility housing the Riverside Post Office at 2720 Riverside Dr., Ste 124, Macon, GA was not renewed. The Postal Service is continuing to actively explore viable options for another location, and customers will be notified as the process evolves. Retail and Post Office Box services for Riverside Post Office customers was shifted to the new location at 451 College St., Macon, GA 31213 effective Monday, October 2, 2023.
Even with our commitment to service, some isolated issues may occur at times. Local postal officials are aware of this customer’s concerns regarding her package, communicated with the customer, and are continuing to research the matter.
Lastly, “moving through network” is synonymous with “moving through the postal mail stream.”