Mailboxes and Parcel Depot in Muscatine under new ownership

DAVID HOTLE

MUSCATINE — While most people wouldn’t see the connection between a local postal business and an online security business, Mailboxes and Parcel Depot co-owner Daniel Nietzel, also co-owner of Fighting Chance Solutions LLC, said the two went together very well.

Nietzel and his partner, Mike Morgan, took ownership of the depot on April 1. He promises the same service and options previously offered, only soon there will be a few more options. There will be an area where art supplies soon will be sold. Also, Nietzel said, Fighting Chance had never had a brick-and-mortar store to offer its security devices, so they will be offered at the business’ location at 2807 University Dr.

“It came about very fast,” Nietzel said. “After COVID we were looking to diversify one of our other businesses. We had been renting a place in the south end and had been looking to buy physical property. We had been looking at this place for a while.”

He explained there were three pillars in the Fighting Chance business — manufacturing, website and shipping. The security sleeves offered as protection from an active shooter are manufactured in Florida. Buying the Depot gave the partners a chance to take a more hands-on approach to the shipping side of the business. The headquarters of Fighting Chance is now in the Depot.

Nietzel said the business is located on the east side of town, which seems to be expanding. He said the purchase of the business all happened within three weeks.

He said that while Fighting Chance has sold throughout the country, he and Morgan have always been “local boys” and are in Muscatine to stay. The business came about when Nietzel was working as a math teacher at the former West Middle School about nine years ago. During an active shooter training, he found the suggested defenses to keep a classroom door closed were lacking. Using his knowledge of geometry, he created a sleeve for scissor arms on doors to keep the door from being opened.

Recently Fighting Chance also unveiled a bar that will keep a door that opens inward from opening. The bar is able to keep the door closed with over 600 pounds of pressure being pressed against the door.

Even with the additions, Nietzel said when the pair bought the Depot it was important to keep the existing staff on and offer the same things.

“This really is about Mailboxes and you are still going to see the same smiling staff you are used to,” he said. “You are still going to see the same products and services offered in the past. You are just liable to see some more retail items from local artists.”