Postal Annex+ stores in San Diego County are almost as ubiquitous as phone booths. “We are the dominant business services brand in a competitive San Diego County,” says Patrick Edd, who took over as president from founder Jack Lentz in September. By the end of this year, Postal Annex+ intends to add about 50 new franchises to the 300 it has nationwide, and has a goal of adding 70 more next year, when it celebrates its 20th anniversary.

“With about 70 individually owned and operated locations operating by the end of the year, we can safely say we have more locations here than the U.S. Postal Service, more than the UPS Store and its remaining Mail Boxes Etc. after their merger, and more than FedEx and its new partner, Kinko’s,” says Edd.

Edd, 42, a Leucadia resident who graduated from San Diego State University in 1984, says a large part of the company’s growth is from existing franchise owners opening second or third stores in their markets. “About 30 percent of our franchisees own more than one location in their markets,” he says. “This can be seen as a sign of maturity on the part of the franchise owners, of their confidence in the strength and potential for growth of the Postal Annex+ brand.”

Edd joined Postal Annex+ in early 1991 and was executive v.p. and CFO before he was chosen to succeed Lentz. Lentz continues as CEO and chair and Edd as CFO.

Postal Annex+ wants to expand more into Los Angeles and Orange counties, seeking out shopping centers with a major grocery anchor. “We do best in in-and-out situations, near a movie rental retailer or a coffee retailer or dry cleaner,” says Edd. “People frequent these locations several times a week. Such locations give the owner the best chance of success in the business services arena.”

— Manny Cruz