Post & Ship in Chattanooga: Full-Service Packaging and Mailing for Local and Long-Distance
Post & Ship is an independently owned mailing and shipping center located in Chattanooga that handles domestic and international parcels, mailbox rentals, and document services without the wait times or limited hours typical of post office branches.
What Post & Ship actually is
Post & Ship functions as a private alternative to the U.S. Postal Service, offering shipping through USPS, UPS, and FedEx from a single counter. The business accepts packages for all three carriers, weighs and labels shipments, and handles the logistics of getting items to distribution centers. It also rents mailboxes (with street addresses rather than PO box numbers), copies, faxes, notarizes documents, and sells packing supplies. For Chattanooga residents and small business owners who ship intermittently or need evening and weekend access, this setup eliminates the need to visit multiple locations or work around post office hours.
Services and pricing
Shipping rates depend on carrier, destination, weight, and speed. USPS Priority Mail to the continental U.S. typically costs $10 to $35 for packages under 5 pounds; UPS Ground to the same region runs $15 to $45 depending on distance and weight. FedEx Ground and Express options follow similar market rates. The center does not mark up carrier fees significantly, though a small handling charge may apply. For current rates, call ahead or bring your package to be weighed; shipping costs fluctuate with carrier pricing.
Mailbox rental starts at approximately $15 to $25 per month for a basic box, depending on size. A street address (versus a PO box number) is useful for business registrations, loan applications, and retailers that reject PO boxes. The mailbox rental includes mail receiving and holding, and customers can access their boxes during business hours.
Notary services cost around $5 to $10 per signature, a standard rate across Chattanooga. Copy and fax services are priced per page at modest rates; black-and-white copying typically runs $0.10 to $0.25 per page. Packing supplies (boxes, tape, bubble wrap, shipping labels) are available for purchase at retail prices, generally comparable to online retailers.
How Post & Ship compares to other Chattanooga shipping options
The U.S. Postal Service remains free for mail collection and offers the lowest rates for lightweight parcels under 13 ounces through First Class Mail. However, post office branches in Chattanooga keep limited hours (most close by 5 p.m. on weekdays and noon on Saturday), and lines during lunch and end-of-day can stretch 15 to 20 minutes. Post & Ship extends hours into the evening and often operates on Saturday, making it faster for after-work or weekend shipping.
UPS Store locations in the Chattanooga area (including one in East Brainerd and one downtown-adjacent) also ship via multiple carriers, rent mailboxes, and sell supplies. UPS Store rates are typically identical to Post & Ship because both use the same underlying carrier pricing, but UPS Store mailboxes are branded PO box numbers, which some businesses prefer to avoid. UPS Store locations vary in hours; the East Brainerd location stays open until 7 p.m. weekdays, matching or exceeding Post & Ship's convenience.
FedEx Office locations offer similar services but often charge slightly higher handling fees and maintain corporate store hours (9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, limited weekend hours). For a single shipment, the difference is minimal, but frequent shippers or those needing evening access will find Post & Ship or nearby UPS Store branches more practical.
Who Post & Ship suits and who it does not
Post & Ship works best for Chattanooga residents who ship fewer than five packages monthly and value convenience over rock-bottom rates. Small business owners managing part-time operations, freelancers needing a professional mailing address, and people selling items online find the combined services useful. Anyone who works standard office hours and needs to ship after 5 p.m. or on Saturday afternoon will appreciate the extended access.
The center is not ideal for high-volume shippers or businesses that move dozens of packages daily; those customers benefit from establishing commercial accounts directly with UPS or FedEx, which offer volume discounts and pickup service that a single retail counter cannot match. Customers seeking the absolute lowest shipping rate on a single priority package should compare rates online before arriving, as Post & Ship quotes market rates but cannot undercut them.
What the first visit involves
Walk in with your package unsealed (staff may need to inspect contents for insurance or carrier compliance) and the recipient's address. Staff will weigh the item, calculate rates for USPS, UPS, and FedEx options, and present the choices. You select a carrier and speed, pay at the counter, and the package is labeled and set aside for pickup by the carrier. The entire transaction typically takes 5 to 10 minutes for a straightforward domestic shipment. If mailing internationally, bring a passport or ID for verification, and allow extra time for customs documentation.
For mailbox rental, bring two forms of ID and a utility bill or recent bank statement showing your Chattanooga address. The process takes 15 minutes. You will receive a key and instructions on mail pickup and hold policies.
Hours, parking, and logistics
Post & Ship's exact hours change seasonally and may shift; call to confirm before a visit, especially around holidays. The center typically opens by 9 a.m. and stays open until 6 to 7 p.m. on weekdays, with Saturday hours from 10 a.m. to 2 or 3 p.m. Parking is usually available directly outside or in a shared lot. The location is walkable from nearby businesses but not on a major transit line, so driving remains the standard approach for most customers.
Post & Ship's extended hours and single-counter convenience make it a practical alternative to the post office for Chattanooga workers shipping on their own schedule, and the mailbox service fills a gap between official addresses and anonymous PO boxes.
