This past weekend, the focus was on supporting small businesses. In Kaimukī on Oʻahu, Small Business Saturday is traditionally a big draw for what’s become a hipster neighborhood with lots of boutiques and local eateries.
HPR was there this past weekend as longtime U.S. Postal Service carrier Jim Finnigan was preparing to make a delivery to Red Pineapple, a small shop at the top of the hill, which depends on the service.
Finnigan is a familiar face in the neighborhood. He’s worked for the Postal Service for 30 years and shared what a day in the life of a letter carrier is like.
“After you've clocked in, you'll go inspect your vehicle and ensure that it's safe and in working order,” Finnigan said. "Then you'll load up the mail and parcels and then depart for your route. From there, you just go through your route, whether it's a driving route or what they call a park and loop. We park in a spot and loop it around. And that's your day.”
Finnigan was delivering 116 packages that day, which is above average, as the Postal Service heads into its peak season.
He delivers to both businesses and residents in Kaimukī and said that delivering to the people in the community makes his day.
Nalani McLaughlin is the owner of Red Pineapple, a gift shop that offers custom gift baskets. She uses the USPS daily to send and receive merchandise.
“Jim, our postal carrier is amazing, and we love that he picks up right at our door,” McLaughlin said. “We don't have to run around or drive it somewhere. ... It's convenient, it's easy, the price makes sense, and then we have a nice carrier that comes and sees us every day.”
With the Postal Service's convenient website, McLaughlin said that she doesn't know how else her business would be able to get products around the world.
Finnigan told HPR that if you're planning to mail any parcels to the U.S. continent, the deadline for mailing express is no later than Dec. 20. For international shipping, priority express, the deadline is Dec. 16.
This story aired on The Conversation on Dec. 3, 2025. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. Hannah Kaʻiulani Coburn adapted this story for the web.
