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NATCHEZ — The Postal Shoppe owner Carol Smith teared up as she closed the scissors, saying Friday’s ribbon cutting ceremony was a victory for her, Natchez, Adams County and the surrounding areas.

“This is where I landed, this is where God planted me,” Smith said. “This is where He wanted me to be. I thank him for that. God has placed everyone where they needed to be to bring me to this place. Everything was done according to his plan and I’m just thankful to be an African-American, a 43-year-old woman, who could leave her job and start a business without a single loan. I am debt free walking into this business.”

Smith’s roots are in Fayette where she grew up, but her mom moved to Natchez when she was in the 11th grade. She left Natchez in 2002 and moved to Vicksburg before moving to Dallas in 2008. She lived in Dallas until returning to Natchez in May. 

The big city hustle and bustle is not found in Natchez. She said the area is quiet and her family is here. Before the move, she worked at Baylor University Medical Center. Through saving up money, dedication and discipline she and her husband were able to open the store without a loan. 

The inspiration for opening the store is from experiencing trouble finding a notary in Natchez on the weekends, she said.

“There is a need here,” Smith said. “When I would come home, I would try to fax or get a notary here and you couldn’t find anybody because the banks are closed on Saturday. I thought about how I could incorporate that into a business and started talking to some people in Texas.” 

Smith’s store will offer a variety of services for postal, shipping and gift needs. These services include fax services, printing services, international shipping, mailbox rentals, greeting cards, packaging supplies and gift wrapping, she said. 

Soon, she hopes to provide money orders and graphic services for banners and yard signs. They can also handle fingerprinting for employers, I-9 verification, passport photos and notaries. Looking around the people gathered in her store, she said it is overwhelming to see everything come together. 

“Now I’m looking at it, I’m in awe,” Smith said. “I did the legwork myself. I didn’t have an attorney doing it. I got my LLC, taxes and found my vendors by myself. I did everything myself.” 

The store is located at 347 D’Evereaux Drive and is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.