Eaton Community Bank to Begin Branch Remodeling Project
Eaton Community Bank to Begin Branch Remodeling Project
CHARLOTTE, Mich. – When people share core values and believe in a common purpose, they become engaged and can thrive as both a community and individuals. That is the premise of The Eaton Way, and the driving force behind Eaton Community Bank’s branch remodeling project.
“People tend to think of banks as simply financial institutions, but as a community bank we understand that we’re a lot more than that for our customers and communities as a whole,” Eaton Community Bank President Timothy Jewell said. “Each of our branches serve as a beacon for the financial vitality of our communities, while also providing a point of pride for the people within our community to socialize and share in their successes and life joys.”
Beginning Monday, July 12, community members will notice changes at Eaton’s main office in Charlotte, as Phase 1 of a bank-wide modernization project begins. The substantial community investment will modernize the branches to align the physical facilities with the new brand that launched in late 2020 and give customers premier banking services on both the technology and customer service fronts.
The project will require some patience from both customers and employees, as beginning Monday the west entrance – adjacent to the parking lot – and stairwell will not be available and all traffic will be routed to the east entrance on Cochran Street.
Phase 1 will close half the first floor and the entire basement, with a tentative finish of late October, early November. Phase 2 will immediately follow and complete the first floor and entire second floor with the entire project schedule to conclude in late January, early February of 2022.
“We hope to have it complete in six months,” Jewell said. “But given the pandemic environment we’re prepared to be flexible and anticipate obstacles will come up.
“And later this year we’ll also begin remodeling in our Stockbridge branch, with the rest of our branches to follow soon after,” Jewell continued. “It’s a substantial project that will continue well into 2022 and give all of our communities and each of our customers something to take pride in.”
The overall look and feel of each branch will be consistent with the new brand showcased on the website, where community members also can get updates and more details on the remodeling throughout the project.
Once complete, customers can expect to see warm, inviting spaces with significant technology upgrades, additional community spaces and private meeting spaces, along with enhanced customer restrooms and a modern approach to the traditional teller lines.
“Banking has changed a lot the last 20 years with technology and customers have enjoyed those service changes, but the banks themselves have largely stayed the same,” said David Hunt, Eaton Community Bank Vice President and Retail Banking Officer. “This remodel is going to give our communities a more personal, customer-friendly experience to match the excellent service they’ve always enjoyed.”
Eaton Community Bank has served mid-Michigan since it was chartered by two local businessmen in 1937 to help local families buy a home and provide a safe place to invest their savings. Today, Eaton provides expanded services and solutions to meet the financial needs of the diverse communities it calls home.