Australia Post has announced it will start serving customers barista-made coffee as well as handling their mail after opening a new concept store in regional New South Wales.
The first Community Hub @ Post concept store has opened in Orange, with Australia Post planning to open more stores with a café addition in 2024 at Williamstown (Victoria), Burnie (Tasmania), and Noosa Heads (Queensland).
Australia Post Group CEO and Managing Director Paul Graham says the new format transforms the Post Office into a modern retail experience.
“The way Australians use their local post office is very different today than it was 10 years ago. With Community Hub @ Post, we are reinventing how the Post Office operates to support the changing needs of our customers,” he says.
As well as an on-site café, Australia Post is also trialling digital queueing, in which customers can scan a QR code and then have an opportunity to order a coffee or browse the store before being called up to the counter.
Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland says the concept store is a win for local consumers and small businesses.
“It’s fantastic to see the new Community Hub in Orange up and running. This… will help connect small businesses with new customers. I look forward to seeing more of these hubs rolled out across rural and regional Australia”.