This Bonbobi or “Bobi” mailbox tells a modern story of community accessibility. In 2006, when the Southern Oaks Community of Santa Clarita, California, discovered their curbside mailboxes were not in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), they went in search of a better option. Their number one concern was finding a mailbox with proportions that would allow a wheelchair to pass along the sidewalk without interference.
Their research led them to the Bobicompany, which was founded in 1991 in Finland by two brothers. Bobi mailboxes come in eight different styles and eight different color options. The mailboxes are made of 20-gauge (1 mm) stainless or zinc plated steel covered with a polyester coating. All of the Bobi designs are approved for use by the USPS.
This mailbox's vertical design offered ADA compliance as well as a large capacity. It even has a locking feature that reassured any residents who were concerned about mail fraud and identity theft. The community also appreciated the sleek, pleasant design: the curb appeal.
The Southern Oaks Civic Association replaced 279 mailboxes in their community with Bobi mailboxes, modifying existing posts as mounts. The museum acquired this white Bobi mailbox in 2007. It was one of the boxes ordered for the Southern Oaks project, although it was never used in the community. The Bobi mailbox is the first mailbox manufactured in the 21st century to be added to the museum's permanent collection.