PORT ANGELES — First Federal is eliminating in-person teller service at the bank’s 141 W. First St. branch downtown to devote the space to business clients beginning Jan. 4.
The Business Solutions Center will offer advice and seminars.
Converted space
The lobby will be converted into space for seminars and community meetings for up to about 50 people, Marketing Manager Jeanine Lee said.
“The downtown location is definitely not closing,” she said.
“It’s transitioning from a branch atmosphere. We’ve seen an increase in the need for business services.
“The focus will be on business clients and the needs they have for lending and financial resources, that kind of thing.”
Lee said more than 10,000 bank-customer households were notified of the change in November.
Other locations
The two to four customer service representatives that were at the branch at any given time have filled positions with First Federal at the bank’s other locations, she added.
Hours at the building will continue to be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
An extended-hours interactive teller machine will continue to provide customers with access to information and services on their accounts from First Federal employees.
“They will have the option of touching the screen to speak to a live customer service representative based in Port Angeles,” Lee said.
Commercial relationship managers will be on-site to work with walk-in business customers.
Commercial lending
Lee said earlier this year, the bank launched a commercial lending program with emphasis on lending resources for different businesses.
“We plan to add more benefits, more opportunities to this location,” she added.
First Federal became a stockholder-owned bank earlier this year after making a first-time offering of more than 10 million shares.
There are more than 42,000 First Federal accounts.
Branches
First Federal, founded in 1923, is based in Port Angeles and has branches in Sequim, Port Townsend, Forks and Kitsap County’s Silverdale, plus a lending center in the Whatcom County city of Bellingham.
First Northwest Bancorp became the parent company of First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Port Angeles when the bank converted to a public company in January.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5060, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.