Post Haste : New 3-Cent Stamps Are ‘Selling Like Hot Cakes’

Lines at post offices across Orange County stretched out the door Tuesday as customers rushed to snap up 3-cent stamps to meet the new 32-cent first-class postage rate that went into effect New Year’s Day.

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In Huntington Beach, postal workers at the Atlanta Avenue substation sold about 50,000 3-cent stamps and feared they would soon run out, though they will pick up 250,000 additional stamps from Orange County’s main distribution center today.

“It’s horrible,” said Alison Suhl, customer services manager. “The line’s been out the door all day long. There’s been a steady stream of probably 40 or 50 people in here. We started with 120,000 stamps last week, and now we’re down to almost zero.”

Some customers called the post office requesting bulk orders of 1,000 3-cent stamps, she said.

At Newport Beach’s tiny Balboa Island substation, the lone window clerk, Phillip Griewe, barely had a chance to catch his breath.

“Can’t talk now,” he said. “There’s a line out the door. Every person that comes up to the counter wants the 3-cent stamp.”

Since Saturday, Costa Mesa’s main post office has sold about 150,000 3-cent stamps. Supervisor Cindy Park said the post office had just picked up another 100,000.

The numberless G-rate makeup stamp serves as the 3-cent addition to the 29-cent stamp. The new 32-cent “G” stamp, emblazoned with a picture of Old Glory, was also on sale.

At the Santa Ana main post office and distribution center on Sunflower Avenue, traffic jams in the parking lot deterred many customers who chose to take their chances in the red parking zones outside the lot.

Tony Longoria, 38, of Huntington Beach took time off from work to purchase the 3-cent stamps.

“My strategy was to go in the middle of the day when everyone else was working. It doesn’t look like it paid off,” Longoria said ruefully as he looked at the lines of customers ahead of him.

Linda Herrmann, 47, of Irvine held one of the paper numbers that marked her place in line.

“It goes pretty quickly. They were on No. 18 when I came in,” said Herrmann, clutching No. 52. “I’m on work time. I was kind of surprised there were this many people.”

Some customers admitted they had delayed buying the new stamps until the last minute.

“Procrastination, that’s the name of the game. My wife sent me out,” said Dick Freeman, 68, of Costa Mesa.

The North Grand Station in Santa Ana sold out of stamps early in the day. Customers waited for about 40 minutes while workers picked up more at the main distribution center in Santa Ana.

Santa Ana Postmaster Rose Marie Fernandez helped customers use the crowded self-service machine, handing out wallet-size cards that listed the new rates.

“We’ve got an onslaught of people coming in at the same time and all wanting the same thing,” she said. “I’ve got all six windows going, and I’ve had to move (clerks) from the back up front.”

Harried postal clerks across the county were selling stamps as quickly as they could dispense them.

Buena Park’s post office ran out of 3-cent stamps about 11 a.m. but made a special pickup and resumed business. “They’re selling like hot cakes,” said Marcus Wilk, supervisor of customer service.

The Laguna Beach post office ran out of 3-cent stamps about the same time, but their supply was replenished by one of the supervisors, who had more in a safe, clerk Mike Johnson said.

“We got a lot of complaints, especially when we ran out,” he said. “I guess people don’t realize how many (29-cent) stamps are out there, sitting in drawers.”

But not to worry, Orange County’s main distribution center has an ample supply of 3-cent stamps, said postal spokeswoman Terri Bouffiou. “We have plenty in stock,” she said.

Bouffiou said that first-class letters mailed after Jan. 1 with only a 29-cent stamp will be marked as having insufficient postage.

“When we deliver them, we will attempt to collect 3 cents,” she said. “If the recipient refuses, we will return it to the sender for additional postage.”