San Diego, CA (February 6, 2012) – National Entrepreneur Week is coming up from February 18 – 25, 2012, so AIM Mail Centers locations are offering free mailbox rentals to local small businesses. As small business owners, AIM Mail Center owners know how important it is to support their fellow local businesses.

“We believe that small businesses play a key role in creating jobs,” says Steve Goble, Vice President of Marketing Communications for Annex Brands, franchisor for AIM Mail Centers. Between 1993 and 2009, small businesses were responsible for 65 percent of the 15 million net new jobs created.

“It can be expensive to start a business, so we want to help local entrepreneurs achieve success by reducing their costs with free rent on a mailbox,” Goble continued. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, it costs between $25,000 and $50,000 to start a business.

Goble said private mailboxes show a street address, which many small business owners prefer compared to a P.O. Box address. In addition, AIM Mail Centers receives UPS, FedEx, and USPS packages, keeping them secure behind the counter until the recipient claims them

Details of the free mailbox offer can be found by contacting the nearest AIM Mail Centers location listed below:

• AIM Mail Centers #98 located at 4010 2701 Harbor Blvd Ste E2 in Costa Mesa, CA
• AIM Mail Centers #46 located at 1775 E Palm Canyon Dr Ste 110 in Palm Springs, CA
• AIM Mail Centers #173 located at 172 E Sheldon St Ste A in Prescott, AZ
• AIM Mail Centers #93 located at 4414 82nd St Unit 212 in Lubbock, TX

In addition to private mailbox rentals, AIM Mail Centers offers a one-stop solution for many home office and business service needs; shipping through UPS, FedEx and the USPS, packaging and shipping supplies, notary public, printing and copying services, office supplies and more.

About AIM Mail Centers
AIM Mail Centers is a member of the Annex Brands franchise network. Its locations offer one-stop support for packaging, shipping and office supply needs. Founded in 1985 in San Diego, Annex Brands has more than 425 locations operating in 41 states across the U.S. and into Canada. All AIM Mail Centers locations are independently owned and operated by licensed franchisees. For more information on the company’s services or for franchise information, visit www.AnnexBrands.com.

About Annex Brands
Annex Brands, Inc., formerly known as Postal Annex, Inc., was founded by Jack and Martha (Marty) Lentz in 1985 and is headquartered in San Diego. There are five brands in the Annex Brands franchise family: PostalAnnex+, AIM Mail Center, Navis Pack & Ship, Handle With Care Packaging Store and Sunshine Pack & Ship. All together, there are more than 425 locations across 41 states and into Canada. Each location is an individually owned and operated franchise. Its retail stores offer a one-stop support center for packaging, shipping, postal and office supply needs, including the ability to compare shipping rates with UPS, FedEx, DHL and USPS shipping. The commercial locations provide custom packaging and shipping solutions for larger and more valuable items. For more information on the company’s history, services and franchise information, visit www.AnnexBrands.com.

Moreno Valley, CA (January 26, 2012) – With the New Year underway, many people are getting organized. To help properly dispose of old documents containing personal information, Chuck Steinway, owner of the AIM Mail Center at 23571 Sunnymead Ranch Pkwy Ste 110, is hosting a Free Shredding Day. On February 11, 2012, members of the community are encouraged to bring up to three grocery bags of documents only to his location.

“We are excited to have an opportunity to help members of our community get organized and protect themselves from identity theft,” said Steinway. “Shredding personal documents can save you hundreds of dollars and dozens of hours of frustration trying to repair your stolen identity.”

According to a report by Javelin Strategy & Research, in 2010, 8.1 million people were victims of identity theft, and the overall losses from identity fraud were $37 billion. The Javelin report also revealed the average out-of-pocket expense for victims of identity theft was $631 per incident. Identity thieves search through garbage cans and dumpsters looking for documents with personal information. One of the best ways to prevent identity fraud is to shred all documents with any type of personal information. It is recommended that you shred items with birth dates, Social Security numbers, bank information, credit card numbers, and more.

In addition to shredding service, Steinway’s AIM Mail Center offers a one-stop solution for many home office and business service needs; shipping through UPS, FedEx and the USPS, private mailbox rental, packaging and shipping supplies, notary public, printing and copying services, office supplies and more.

About AIM Mail Centers
AIM Mail Centers, part of the franchise family of Annex Brands, Inc., is a national retail business services provider with over 60 locations across 14 states. Each franchise is individually owned and operated, offering shipping through UPS, FedEx and the USPS, private mailbox rental, packaging and shipping supplies, notary public service, fax sending and receiving, office supplies and other related business services. Each franchisee is an active member of the local community with expertise in providing solutions for the specific needs of small businesses, independent contractors, telecommuters and consumers. For more information on AIM Mail Centers, visit www.AIMMailCenters.com or call 800-456-1525.

About Annex Brands
Annex Brands, Inc., formerly known as Postal Annex, Inc., was founded by Jack and Martha (Marty) Lentz in 1985 and is headquartered in San Diego. There are five brands in the Annex Brands franchise family: PostalAnnex+, AIM Mail Center, Navis Pack & Ship, Handle With Care Packaging Store and Sunshine Pack & Ship. All together, there are more than 425 locations across 41 states and into Canada. Each location is an individually owned and operated franchise. Its retail stores offer a one-stop support center for packaging, shipping, postal and office supply needs, including the ability to compare shipping rates with UPS, FedEx, DHL and USPS shipping. The commercial locations provide custom packaging and shipping solutions for larger and more valuable items. For more information on the company’s history, services and franchise information, visit www.AnnexBrands.com.

“It is important never to simply throw away old packing material because most of it is not biodegradable, and it just takes up space in landfills,” says Steve Goble, Vice President of Marketing Communications for Annex Brands, franchisor for PostalAnnex+.  “We believe in taking care of the environment, and recycling packing material is one way we can help our community embrace an eco-friendly lifestyle.”

Goble also wants to remind the community that left-over packing material is not the only holiday item that can be recycled.  Holiday lights contain glass, aluminum, and copper, which are all recyclable, and old Christmas trees can be turned into mulch or planted.  For those who received new cell phones, the old phones can be turned back into the service provider to recycle.  Old clothing can be donated to charitable organizations like Goodwill or the Salvation Army, making room for new clothing received during the holidays.

To recycle leftover holiday material, visit the closest AIM Mail Center location listed below:

• AIM Mail Center #36 located at 11278 Los Alamitos Blvd in Los Alamitos, CA
• AIM Mail Center #42 located at 1256 W Lathrop Rd in Manteca, CA
• AIM Mail Center #115 located at 220 Adams Dr Ste 280 in Weatherford, TX
• AIM Mail Center #154 located at 9655 Perkins Rd Ste C in Baton Rouge, LA
• AIM Mail Center #181 located at 810 E Main St Ste I, in Laurens, SC

In addition to recycling packaging material, AIM Mail Center offers a one-stop solution for many home office and business service needs; shipping through UPS, FedEx and the USPS, private mailbox rental, packaging and shipping supplies, notary public, printing and copying services, office supplies and more.

About AIM Mail Center
AIM Mail Center is a member of the Annex Brands franchise network.  Its locations offer one-stop support for packaging, shipping and office supply needs. Founded in 1985 in San Diego, Annex Brands has more than 425 locations operating in 41 states across the U.S. and into Canada.  All AIM Mail Center locations are independently owned and operated by licensed franchisees.  For more information on the company’s services or for franchise information, visit www.AnnexBrands.com.

About Annex Brands
Annex Brands, Inc., formerly known as Postal Annex, Inc., was founded by Jack and Martha (Marty) Lentz in 1985 and is headquartered in San Diego. There are five brands in the Annex Brands franchise family:  PostalAnnex+, AIM Mail Center, Navis Pack & Ship, Handle With Care Packaging Store and Sunshine Pack & Ship.  All together, there are more than 425 locations across 41 states and into Canada. Each location is an individually owned and operated franchise. Its retail stores offer a one-stop support center for packaging, shipping, postal and office supply needs, including the ability to compare shipping rates with UPS, FedEx, DHL and USPS shipping. The commercial locations provide custom packaging and shipping solutions for larger and more valuable items. For more information on the company’s history, services and franchise information, visit www.AnnexBrands.com.

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Grassroots Newswire) November 29, 2011 – For shoppers with distant friends and family on their holiday gift lists, choosing, buying and wrapping the perfect gift is just the beginning. Packing and shipping the gift so that it arrives intact and in time is key to delivering a happy holiday.

FedEx recently estimated that it expects to deliver more than 260 million shipments through its worldwide shipping networks between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, a 12 percent volume increase over 2010. Online shopping is driving some of this increase, according to the FedEx announcement, but millions of individuals will also be shipping gifts to relatives and loved ones over the next couple of months via FedEx, United Parcel Service (UPS), the U.S. Postal Service and other package shipping options.

According to Steve Goble, Vice President of Marketing Communications for Annex Brands, franchisor for the PostalAnnex+, Navis Pack & Ship, AIM Mail Center, Handle With Care Packaging Store and Sunshine Pack & Ship brands, packaging a gift correctly helps to ensure safe and on-time delivery. “Packages that are damaged are often delayed as well,” says Goble. “Proper packaging not only helps to prevent damage to the gift in the package, it helps to preserve the address and delivery instructions on the outside of the package. And this is an important part of having a package arrive in time for the holidays.”

Goble offers these tips for holiday shippers:

• Don’t reuse old shipping cartons. Package gifts in a new box that will stand up to the rigors of holiday shipping volumes. Old cartons may collapse and may display previous address and return address information that could misdirect the package.
• Place labels directly on the shipping carton. Don’t wrap shipping cartons – old or new – in brown paper. If the paper is torn from the box during shipping, the shipping label will be lost too – and the package may become undeliverable.
• Place delivery information inside the package, as well as on the delivery label. If the delivery label is lost, the carrier will still be able to complete delivery.
• No strings attached!  Don’t tie packages up with string. String can get caught in sorting machines, resulting in mangled packages and damaged contents.
• Duct tape is for ducts, not for shipping packages. Duct tape loses its grip in cold weather, and masking tape, painter’s, and electrical tape are not strong enough to stand up to the shipping process.

“Bubble wrap and foam “peanuts” are better than crumpled newspaper for keeping package contents safe,” Goble adds. These packing materials can help prevent carton flaps from caving in, which can break the tape seal on the carton and allow the contents to fall out.

Consumers with long holiday to-do lists can also opt to turn holiday packaging chores over to the experts at the PostalAnnex+, Navis Pack & Ship, AIM Mail Center, Handle With Care Packaging Store and Sunshine Pack & Ship stores. These packaging specialists can recommend the right-sized box to keep the items inside safe without requiring extra packing materials or possible increased shipping costs. Shoppers can also turn to these stores for post-holiday clean-up, using their recycling service to dispose of packaging “peanuts” and similar materials instead of throwing them in the trash.

“Our recycling program keeps these materials out of landfills, which benefits the community,” Goble said. “Consumers can make an even greater positive impact on the environment by reusing wrapping paper, bows, ribbons and such and by creating gift tags for next year’s holidays from this year’s greeting cards.  This year’s Christmas tree can be turned into pine mulch for shrubs and flowerbeds, too.”

PostalAnnex+, Navis Pack & Ship, AIM Mail Center, Handle With Care Packaging Store and Sunshine Pack & Ship are one-stop support centers for packaging, postal and office supply needs. For more information, visit www.AnnexBrands.com.

About Annex Brands
Annex Brands, Inc. is the franchisor of the PostalAnnex+, Navis Pack & Ship, AIM Mail Center, Handle With Care Packaging Store and Sunshine Pack & Ship brands. Formerly known as Postal Annex+, Inc, Annex Brands is headquartered in San Diego, California. Its brands offer shipping and business services such as moving van, freight shipping, small parcel and overnight document delivery services, private mailbox rental, notary service, high-speed copying in black & white and color, office supplies, web site/e-commerce services, faxing service, printing, stationery, rubber address stamps, key duplication, greeting cards and assorted gift items, all in a convenient, service-oriented environment. To find out more about the company, visit www.AnnexBrands.com.

Fountain Valley, CA (November 2, 2011) – Arvind and Hansa Savsani have volunteered their AIM Mail Center store as a drop-off center for donations to Toys for Tots.  Besides making the holidays brighter for a deserving child, anyone who donates a toy will receive a coupon for 10% off holiday shipping.  Members of the community can bring a new, unwrapped toy to the AIM Mail Center at 16027 Brookhurst St, Ste G from now through December 16th, 2011.

“We are so excited to have our store as a drop-off center,” says Hansa.  “Times have been tough, and we believe in helping those who have suffered from the current economic conditions, especially children.  We want to encourage members of our community to come together and help bring a smile to a local child.”

The Toys for Tots program started in 1947 when Major Bill Hendricks, USMCR and a group of Marine Reservists collected and distributed 5,000 toys to children in need.  Since then, the Toys for Tots program has become a non-profit charity which collects new, unwrapped toys from October through December every year.  The toys are given to needy children in the community where they were collected.  Toys for Tots relies heavily on the generosity and support of the community for the success of the program.

In addition to being a Toys for Tots drop-off location, the Savsani’s AIM Mail Center offers a one-stop solution for many home office and business service needs; shipping through UPS, FedEx and the USPS, private mailbox rental, packaging and shipping supplies, notary public, printing and copying services, office supplies and more.

About AIM Mail Centers
AIM Mail Centers, part of the franchise family of Annex Brands, Inc., is a national retail business services provider with over 60 locations across 14 states.  Each franchise is individually owned and operated, offering shipping through UPS, FedEx and the USPS, private mailbox rental, packaging and shipping supplies, notary public service, fax sending and receiving, office supplies and other related business services.  Each franchisee is an active member of the local community with expertise in providing solutions for the specific needs of small businesses, independent contractors, telecommuters and consumers.  For more information on AIM Mail Centers, visit www.AIMMailCenters.com or call 800-456-1525.

About Annex Brands
Annex Brands, Inc., formerly known as Postal Annex, Inc., was founded by Jack and Martha (Marty) Lentz in 1985 and is headquartered in San Diego. There are five brands in the Annex Brands franchise family:  PostalAnnex+, AIM Mail Center, Navis Pack & Ship, Handle With Care Packaging Store and Sunshine Pack & Ship.  All together, there are more than 425 locations across 41 states and into Canada. Each location is an individually owned and operated franchise. Its retail stores offer a one-stop support center for packaging, shipping, postal and office supply needs, including the ability to compare shipping rates with UPS, FedEx, DHL and USPS shipping. The commercial locations provide custom packaging and shipping solutions for larger and more valuable items. For more information on the company’s history, services and franchise information, visit www.AnnexBrands.com.

“It’s important never to toss personal documents in the trash,” said Derrik.  “Shredding these papers can save you hundreds of dollars and dozens of hours of frustration trying to repair your stolen identity.”

According to a report by Javelin Strategy & Research, in 2010, 8.1 million people were victims of identity theft, and the overall losses from identity fraud were $37 billion.  The Javelin report also revealed the average out-of-pocket expense for victims of identity theft was $631 per incident.  Identity thieves search through garbage cans and dumpsters looking for documents with personal information.  One of the best ways to prevent identity fraud is to shred all documents with any type of personal information.  It is recommended that you shred items with birth dates, Social Security numbers, bank information, credit card numbers, and more.

In addition to shredding service, Derrick’s AIM Mail Center store offers a one-stop solution for many home office and business service needs; shipping through UPS, FedEx and the USPS, private mailbox rental, packaging and shipping supplies, notary public, printing and copying services, office supplies and more.

About AIM Mail Centers
AIM Mail Centers, part of the franchise family of Annex Brands, Inc., is a national retail business services provider with over 60 locations across 14 states.  Each franchise is individually owned and operated, offering shipping through UPS, FedEx and the USPS, private mailbox rental, packaging and shipping supplies, notary public service, fax sending and receiving, office supplies and other related business services.  Each franchisee is an active member of the local community with expertise in providing solutions for the specific needs of small businesses, independent contractors, telecommuters and consumers.  For more information on AIM Mail Centers, visit www.AIMMailCenters.com or call 800-456-1525.

About Annex Brands
Annex Brands, Inc., formerly known as Postal Annex, Inc., was founded by Jack and Martha (Marty) Lentz in 1985 and is headquartered in San Diego. There are five brands in the Annex Brands franchise family:  PostalAnnex+, AIM Mail Center, Navis Pack & Ship, Handle With Care Packaging Store and Sunshine Pack & Ship.  All together, there are more than 425 locations across 41 states and into Canada. Each location is an individually owned and operated franchise. Its retail stores offer a one-stop support center for packaging, shipping, postal and office supply needs, including the ability to compare shipping rates with UPS, FedEx, DHL and USPS shipping. The commercial locations provide custom packaging and shipping solutions for larger and more valuable items. For more information on the company’s history, services and franchise information, visit www.AnnexBrands.com.

Cathy Lesnick, along with two of her employees, are military veterans.  “We understand how important it is for service members to receive encouragement from their family, friends, and supporters back home,” said Cathy.  “This holiday season, we want to help members of our community show their support for their loved ones serving our country.”

The Lesnicks also want to remind the public that there are deadlines for shipping gifts to military addresses for the holidays.  Some deadlines are as early as November 12th, so people should check with the AIM Mail Center location about deadlines and shipping options.

In addition to mailing and shipping services, the Lesnicks’ AIM Mail Center store also offers many home office and business service needs, including private mailbox rental, printing and copying service, office supplies and more.

About AIM Mail Centers
AIM Mail Centers, part of the franchise family of Annex Brands, Inc., is a national retail business services provider with over 60 locations across 14 states.  Each franchise is individually owned and operated, offering shipping through UPS, FedEx and the USPS, private mailbox rental, packaging and shipping supplies, notary public service, fax sending and receiving, office supplies and other related business services.  Each franchisee is an active member of the local community with expertise in providing solutions for the specific needs of small businesses, independent contractors, telecommuters and consumers.  For more information on AIM Mail Centers, visit www.AIMMailCenters.com or call 800-456-1525.

About Annex Brands
Annex Brands, Inc., formerly known as Postal Annex, Inc., was founded by Jack and Martha (Marty) Lentz in 1985 and is headquartered in San Diego. There are five brands in the Annex Brands franchise family:  PostalAnnex+, AIM Mail Center, Navis Pack & Ship, Handle With Care Packaging Store and Sunshine Pack & Ship.  All together, there are more than 425 locations across 41 states and into Canada. Each location is an individually owned and operated franchise. Its retail stores offer a one-stop support center for packaging, shipping, postal and office supply needs, including the ability to compare shipping rates with UPS, FedEx, DHL and USPS shipping. The commercial locations provide custom packaging and shipping solutions for larger and more valuable items. For more information on the company’s history, services and franchise information, visit www.AnnexBrands.com.

The cards and letters must be addressed to any APO/FPO military address.

Many AIM franchisees are veterans who now serve in their local communities.

“Veterans Day, as well as Thanksgiving Day are very special dates for our nation,” says Michael Sawitz, chief executive of AIM based in Irvine.

“We reflect on our country’s history, our freedom, our veterans, as well as military personnel currently serving. Our military are the foundation of our security and peace of mind. This month, our AIM family celebrates those who serve us. Thank you.”

AIM Mail Centers, which operates more than 85 locations in 21 U.S states, including California, Texas and South Carolina, is offering free postage to the U.S. military through Thanksgiving Day.

AIM Mail Centers will send standard 1 oz. cards and letters to active U.S. Military personnel around the world, at no cost to the sender through Nov. 26.

Follow this story at: http://www.examiner.com/x-25821-LA-Military-Headlines-Examiner~y2009m10d8-AIM-Mail-Centers-offering-free-postage-to-US-military-personnel