As post offices across the country shut down to help save the U.S. Postal Service money, East Brewton’s post office has been spared — although its hours will be cut.

The post office will be open for business only two hours a day, from 9 to 11 a.m. beginning Oct. 29.

Tim Clark, postmaster at the Brewton office, said the reduction was not a surprise.

“It was a necessary thing and they made the right move,” he said.

Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe said that the changes have become necessary.

“Our customers’ habits have made it clear that they no longer require a physical post office to conduct most of their postal business,” he said. “The postal service of the future will be smaller, leaner and more competitive and it will continue to drive commerce, serve communities and deliver value.”

Donahoe said some communities that lose their retail locations may get what the postal service is calling a “village post office,” which would mean that it would become smaller and offer fewer services; selling stamps and flat-rate boxes.

In July it was proposed by the USPO to close some 3,600 post office locations around the country. On Sept. 15, that number was increased by 250 more locations and that 35,000 jobs would be affected.

Services such as post office boxes will not be effected with the changes taking place in East Brewton.

A customer can still leave mail there and pick up their mail from their P.O. box there at any time, but they can only make purchases from 9 to 11 a.m.

The East Brewton branch of the U.S. Post Office is located on Forrest Avenue next door to a branch of BankTrust of Brewton.