Mailbox Toluca Lake has been a staple of the community for over 40 years, serving as a one-stop shop for residents looking to ship and receive packages, take passport photos and get notary work done. But what started as a small mail and shipping store has transformed into something much more, thanks to the vision of its owner, Jonathan Kramer, who bought the business in July 2006.
“When I moved back home from New York City after working in the garment importing industry, I was looking for a unique business in a great location and community like Toluca Lake,” he explains. “When I bought Mailbox Toluca Lake, it was a very successful mailbox and shipping store. After analyzing all the areas of the current business, I saw great potential in expanding and including additional services to the business.”
With a number of Hollywood studios and production companies located nearby, Kramer realized that hundreds of his clients worked in the entertainment industry and relied on their voices for their livelihoods. That’s when the idea came to him.
“I knew there was a need for good vocal products, so I did a lot of research on the best natural products that targeted vocal health, as well as various vocal issues,” he says. “I purchased the best products and urged all my professional clients to always give me feedback and the results they found so I would know for future reference. All this was extremely helpful in providing my new clients with even better information on how to use my remedies.”
Kramer’s knowledge and dedication to his customers earned him the nickname “Dr. Voice” — a moniker he takes great pride in. “I always love to hear back from my entertainment clients that I was able to help them resolve their issues,” he says. “It is rewarding to know my products and recommendations help them, and they continue to come back to purchase again and again.”
For Kramer, his favorite moments over the nearly two decades he’s owned the business have come from working with “the nicest people and community” and the close relationships he’s built with those in and around the neighborhood.
“I have many private mailbox, shipping and packing, and voice-remedy customers who have been coming here for many years,” Kramer shares. “We have also become a destination for many people in the community and all over the world looking for exotic lozenges and health remedies.”
One of the latest voice-remedy products to hit the shelves is a raw manuka honey product from Wedderspoon, New Zealand — an unpasteurized, non-GMO superfood that Kramer says has key antibiotic properties.
When Kramer isn’t spending time researching new vocal-remedy products or catching up with longtime customers, you’ll likely find him enjoying a meal at one of his favorite local restaurants or checking out the latest goodies at some of the many specialty boutiques around town.
“Toluca Lake is a very quaint and unique place — it’s a small village in a large city,” he says. “All the businesses are unique and have great service, and the residents here love supporting local businesses in the Toluca Lake Village.”