SOUTH BEND hoppers swung their carts through the aisles and the beeps of scanners drifted through the front of the Martin’s Super Market at Erskine Plaza.
In the northeast corner of the store, Gabi Abraham walked into the 1st Source Bank branch to make a quick transaction.
“I usually do most of my banking online,” said Abraham, 23. “But I came here specifically so I could go shopping.”
A few minutes later, Renee Leatherman, 53, rolled her cart filled with brown plastic Martin’s bags up to the branch. She’s not a fan of online banking — “I’m not really up on that stuff,” she said.
So she drops by the branch in Martin’s because of the convenience and speed — providing proof of what 1st Source already knows about the ever-shifting trends in the local banking industry.
Last year actually saw the most closures of stand-alone bank branches in St. Joseph and Elkhart counties since 2000.
It’s not a sign of declining business, but rather a result of changing consumer habits and the impact of online banking.
And don’t declare the traditional bank branch dead just yet.
In fact, two other financial institutions entered the South Bend market last year with new branches, illustrating the push-and-pull between online convenience and face-to-face interaction in the banking industry.