August 26, 2004

New beginnings and fewer shipping headaches

By Kymberli W. Brady
Staff Writer

For those who need to ship a last minute birthday present to mom without braving the long lines that traditionally snake out of the post office, there is now a new one-stop shop that stands ready to ease the growing postal, packing, and shipping burdens on Almaden residents.

Located next to Amato’s Pizza at Meridian and Redmond, the UPS store officially opened its doors for business August 21, complete with a ribbon cutting ceremony, refreshments, balloons, and well wishes from Council members, Chamber members, and community members.

When owner Nitin Shah decided to open the UPS Store in the area, he became part of the growing small business community in San Jose that represents 98-percent of the city’s business population.

“Of that 98-percent, 49,000 jobs are generated,” explained Vice Mayor Pat Dando, who participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony. “Small businesses in San Jose are vital to our economy. Sometimes that gets lost in the high-tech shuffle. Many of them are mom and pop, service-orientated businesses and that’s what makes this country work.”

Whether someone needs to ship one package or an entire warehouse full of products, Shah stands ready to tackle the needs of the Almaden community.

“The UPS store business model has changed dramatically,” he said. “You don’t even need to pack anymore, you come here—we are specialists in packing. But we also provide everything else that adds to it and we help the customers with things coming in too. That’s why we also provide mailboxes, which is critical in this area because there are many small, home-owned businesses—for them to have mailbox services is a priority, and that is what this store provides. That is what we are.”

In addition to mailbox and shipping services, copying and printing are also offered, along with binding, laminating, faxing, and passport services, with plans to add notary assistance and round-the-clock access to post office boxes within the month.

“I’m excited about the combination of opportunities that they have here, with the mailboxes, being able to ship, and being able to sell stores,” says Councilmember Linda LeZotte. “It’s a good marketing tool. The mailbox idea is also interesting—having a PO box with a physical address is really cool. This is a very good concept.”

Shah credits the Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Almaden Business Association with getting him past the bumps in the road and off to a good start, along with the cooperation of Amato’s for their willingness to “change a few things around” to accommodate the new venture.

“Any day in Almaden is a great day when we’re opening up a small business like this,” said Jim Cuneen, President of the Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce. “We have a great global competitor like UPS in the form of a small businessman, trying to provide a great service for people who live right here in this neighborhood.”

“Jim is constantly working with businesses in San Jose to make sure that they stay business friendly,” adds Dando. “I’m always excited when another business opens in District 10.”

The UPS store provides service to customers within a 1-1/2 to 2-mile area. Currently, they are open weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., but plan to open on Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. within the next few weeks.

“This is a service-orientated business,” Shaw added. “I think the support of the people is very critical for a small business like myself. This whole shopping center is starting to become a very service-orientated center.”