3 Businesses In Back Of The Yards Neighborhood Report Missing Mail
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Three different businesses in Chicago's Back of the Yards neighborhood say they have the same problem: when the substitute mail carrier is working, they are not getting their mail.
"There's been periods of time where it's been three days, not even junk mail, nothing comes," explained Peter Papageorge, the President and CEO of Culinary Classics.
Peter Papageorge says Culinary Classics custom manufactures uniforms for hotels, restaurants, chefs, and stock exchanges. He says for the past year and a half, mail delivery issues have been creating a problem for his business located in the Back of the Yards neighborhood.
"Making payroll is one of the toughest things in the business. Cash flow is everything, so just have to wait and hope that the mail comes in, if it doesn't, then, well you're in trouble," he said. "[We're relying on receiving checks] from different vendors."
TRP Chicago, a heavy duty truck-parts distributor, is next door to Culinary Classics.
Carlos Solis, the manager of TRP Chicago, said he receives mail about once a week, "if he's lucky."
"I stopped the mailman a couple of times. Sometimes there are customers that block the mailbox and he'll keep going, and sometimes I'll ask that he just knock on the door and let us know if there is anything that we can do to help out, but we still haven't seen any change," Solis said.
Wholesaler, Gold Star Seafood, is located half a block away from TRP Chicago. The business is also experiencing the same issue.
"Whenever our normal mailman, Eddie, who I love, is not here, or on vacation," said Chris Giragosian, the owner of Gold Star Seafood, "we probably won't get our mail for a number of days. Sometimes close to a week."
When Eddie works he says the mail is delivered every day. A spokesperson for the United States Postal Service, Chicago District, says when a carrier is absent, routes get divided and there can be delivery delays, adding they regret the inconvenience and every attempt is made to get all mail delivered each day.
