While this post office ostensibly exists to service the rural residents of northern Sheridan county, Montana, the proximity to the Canadian border reveals that this is the closest post office to Regina, Saskatchewan (population 230,000) and the towns of Ceylon, Pangman, Ogema and Minton (and a few others most likely). While Canadians can get packages from most vendors shipped directly to them, increases in US postal shipping costs to Canada and the high brokerage fees often charged when importing packages via courier can make it attractive to receive packages and mail in the US and then drive from Canada to the US to go get them.
I've done this the last three years. The service I get at this post office (whether from Dawn, John, or other less regular staffers) is invariably excellent and the post office readily acknowledges that Canadians form a core part of its business, and are quite tolerant about my inability to get down daily to pick up mail. Not all shippers will send packages to a PO box, but most will, and I save quite a lot of money. In some cases, US shipping is the only option as many shippers won't ship to Canada.
If you're in the local area, you're probably compelled to use this post office, but you benefit from all this great service too! And all the Canadian business means it's more likely to be profitable for the USPS.
For Canadians, a more significant post office exists in Plentywood, about 13 km/8 miles down the road, but I like the ability to shave that round trip off my driving if I don't need to go to town. (I go to town about 80% of the time I go, but for the 20% the shorter driving is a great thing.) read more