Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : Store Gets Stamp of Approval : Innovation: Postal Service opens facility in Newhall. It has a retail-type design.

Cliff Claven of “Cheers” would love it. So would any self-respecting philatelist.

On one wall, sheets of postage stamps depict figures ranging from Christopher Columbus to Martin Luther King Jr. to, of course, Elvis Presley.

Racks of envelopes, packaging tape and bubble-wrap dot the room, while starter collector kits line the shelves. Collectibles include mugs, magnets and anything else that can bear a blue and white eagle.

The Postal Store in Newhall--in the community’s new post office--is one of only two such facilities in Southern California, and one of 19 in the country, according to postal spokeswoman Terri Bouffiou. The other area store is in San Diego.

“It’s really new for this area,” said Bouffiou. “It’s much more of a traditional retail-type design.”

The new design places vending machines in the front lobby and the store separated from the traditional postal counter. Officials say this arrangement makes the stores easier to use, and that all new post offices will likely be built like this.

“This is really nice. I’ve never thought of them doing this like a regular store. It’s interesting to see all the different stamps out,” said Newhall resident John Ross, who visited the 7,500-square-foot store Friday to mail a few letters. “You don’t suppose I could find a mail slot here somewhere, do you?”

The Postal Store, on Lyons Avenue, does include mail slots and 2,500 post office boxes. A grand opening is scheduled at 9 a.m. today.