Retail Watchers

BatteryMill wrote: ↑August 27th, 2021, 10:52 pm Seen a Woodforest bank at Walmart shut down too.

That happened locally. The bank was added around the time when the store was expanded and converted to a supercenter and only lasted a few years. Haven't been in that store in months but last time I was there the space was full of arcade style video games. Ironically, a few years after this bank closed, a local bank built a freestanding branch off to the side of the parking lot.

rwsandiego wrote: ↑August 28th, 2021, 12:17 am Interesting about Woodforest closing a Walmart branch. They offer the ability to send cash to a Woodforest account at the Walmart checkout and are Walmart's largest retail partner. Here in Arizona, many Walmarts have First Convenience branches.

I don't know how many but I've seen only one Woodforest closing thus far. Hopefully that operation stays afloat.

TW-Upstate NY wrote: ↑August 28th, 2021, 9:31 am That happened locally. The bank was added around the time when the store was expanded and converted to a supercenter and only lasted a few years. Haven't been in that store in months but last time I was there the space was full of arcade style video games. Ironically, a few years after this bank closed, a local bank built a freestanding branch off to the side of the parking lot.

Mine went in after replacing a Family Fun Center and had stuck with the store for a long time. Oddly I have never seen a standalone Woodforest.

These bank branches seem to be mainly for attracting new customers. Once the newness wears off, very few people sign up as new customers. The branch may close because their sales numbers look bad. They may not be opening many new accounts. The bank may feel that these branches do not generate any profit. The in store bank may serve a purpose for a few years, but after that it is just a money losing burden.

In Southern CA, most, if not all BofA branches in Albertsons have closed.

Originally, Lucky Supermarkets had Bank of America branches in their supermarkets in the 90s. They were really small, but they had a teller and ATM.

Once Albertsons took over most of them lost the Bank of America branches.

And it appears the stores themselves are seemingly indifferent to it as well. I've seen banks come and go in a local Price Chopper and Hannaford. The Price Chopper now uses the space as a storage/staging area for seasonal merchandise and Hannaford walled over the space and doesn't even use it.

Giant-Landover is closing down multiple PNC branches, including some that have opened in recent years. Makes me wonder if they will switch to another bank brand or other use.

BatteryMill wrote: ↑April 11th, 2023, 1:28 am Giant-Landover is closing down multiple PNC branches, including some that have opened in recent years. Makes me wonder if they will switch to another bank brand or other use.

It's likely the decision of the bank, I don't think the grocery chains desire them to leave. If it's anything like the Giant PA stores, they just wall the space over (or throw shelves in front with seasonal junk). I don't think any bank is eager to open branches (in general, but especially in grocery stores) these days. (Even one of my local Walmart's lost their Woodforest branch sometime in the last few months).

PNC like many banks has a branch closure program going on. PNC announced earlier this month they are closing about 50 branches.

I am not clear if these supermarket branches are part of that program.

Very few supermarket bank branches left out west and those left seem to slowly be closing.

Navy Federal had a few branches inside Walmart stores - I know they recently closed one of them in Las Vegas, off Boulder Hwy.