Warwick.

The new store called Mailboxes Warwick will duplicate all the services offered by the original Par-la-Ville Road centre.

Mailboxes Unlimited manager and owner Mr. Steve Thomson believes the new store will attract commuters passing the store before and after work and also Warwick and Paget residents, who want to be spared a special trip into town during the day.

A multitude of services including parcel post facilities, registered letters, photocopying, faxing, secretarial services or key cutting will be on offer.

The store, which will open on August 30, is located at 122 Middle Road, next to Gloria's Fashion and Fabrics. The supervisor will be Ms. Cindy Simmons and the store's hours will be 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Entrepreneurial Mr. Thomson said that although Mailboxes Unlimited had doubled its office space last year, demand justified opening a new outlet.

"We will be catering to the private and residential market,'' said Mr.

Thomson. "We anticipate the store will be used as a home office.

"We are not competing with the post office as many of our services are not offered by the Post Office. The Post Office management in Hamilton and Warwick has been helpful and keen to co-operate with the new venture. We will work side by side, after all, the mail we handle still has to go through the Post Office,'' said Mr. Thomson.

Mailboxes Warwick will provide 300 mailboxes for rent, a packaging and gift wrapping service, courier services, a messenger service and also sell stationary and stamps.

The original Mailboxes Unlimited was set up by husband and wife team Mr.

Thomson and Mrs. Norman Thomson in 1990.

"The demand for services in town has surpassed our expectations -- providing for business clients amounts to half our work. It's always busy,'' he said.

Mailbox clients include Ross Capital Markets, Mid-Ocean Reinsurance, and Sphere Drake Underwriting Management, the Bank of Bermuda, and First Bermuda Securities.

Clients, who use Mailboxes Unlimited's database management include, the Salvation Army, World Vision International, Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association, and Bermuda Festival. A database listing 5,000 names has been compiled.

"We make sure we only sell mailing lists to reputable companies,'' said Mr.

Thomson.

"Another beautiful facility is an international forwarding service we offer, which is ideal for people who live off-shore. We take mail, bundle it up, reseal it in a white envelope and sending it on to a foreign address for the client,'' said Mr. Thomson.

The 1990 Post Office Act had to be amended in 1990 to permit Mailboxes Unlimited and courier companies to legally handle mail.

HANDING OUT MAIL -- Mr. Steve Thomson, owner of Mailboxes Unlimited, gets an extra helping hand as he sorts mail into one of the 600 private mailboxes available for rental.