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Despite rumors that have been circulating for several weeks that the Derwood post office is scheduled to close, the location will remain open for now, postal officials reported.

Luvenia D. Hyson, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Postal Service, wrote in an e-mail to The Gazette that the postal service is looking at a "possible consolidation of facilities," but no decision has been made about the Derwood facility near the intersection of Muncaster Mill and Redland roads.

"If the facility is targeted for closure, there will be notification to customers in advance," she wrote.

According to reports, USPS is reviewing more than 3,000 offices and retail outlets for closure or consolidation because of a multibillion-dollar deficit.

Diana Heller, a Derwood resident, said she was saddened by the news that it might shutter.

"We don't want to have to go to the post office in Rockville because the parking there is terrible and it's very crowded," she said.

Kenneth D. Weiss, a Derwood resident and first vice president of the Greater Shady Grove Civic Alliance, said that losing the Derwood post office would be a shame.

"The Derwood post office is one of the few remaining entities that keeps the area's name alive," he wrote in an e-mail. "It lets residents use ‘Derwood' instead of ‘Rockville' as their mailing address and many of us do this. The post office provides a valuable service in that it is open six days a week, when the larger office on Shady Grove road is closed on Saturdays."

Weiss added that the post office also helps generate business within the small shopping center.

"I understand that the USPS needs to save money and plans to close many small post offices, but these are community institutions, going back to the days when they were inside general stores," he writes. "I hope a way can be found to reduce costs and keep the Derwood office open."