Banking Hours

[ezcheese]

ok, so my girlfriend and i needed to get to the bank today to deposit a couple of checks. we were running a little late but it was still a quarter to 5. we got to the door and it was already locked. then the tellers inside held up the number 4. we checked the banking hours on the door and noticed that the bank closes at 4:00 on weekdays. we were stunned. we then had to go to staples to buy some office supplies. we aksed the employees there if all the banks close at 4 or just ours and they replied that all of them close at 4.

is this just common to the Boston metro area or all of New England? i always thought that if anything, northerners would work longer hours, not shorter ones. but it turns out that a lot of other businesses either open later or close sooner than we are used to down in the south. just something i found to be interesting.

[Cotuit]

It's all of New England (New York City too), I have no idea why. Most banks are open late on Fridays, which is when most people cash their paychecks. Most people bank on Saturdays because they can't get to the bank during the week.

Many of the larger banks are starting to have longer hours. And there are many grocery store bank branches that are open 7-days and into the evening. Citizens bank is big on this grocery store branch thing currently, at least in Rhode Island.

Other than the banking, how are you enjoying Waltham?

[ezcheese]

waltham has been pretty cool so far. it's a pretty suburban kind of place, so i think we feel a little more at home than we would have if we had moved straight to a denser area. we just got an apartment in malden and we will be able to start moving our stuff in in a couple of weeks. the apartment in malden will be cool because i will easily be able to ride my bike to malden center station when i need to go into the city. we are also within easy walking distance of malden square.

we're having a pretty good time so far. the roads up here definitely take getting used to though.

[glassandsteel]

It's all of New England (New York City too), I have no idea why.

It's probably a mix of European influence (see business hours in Italy), residual practices of past times (dinner hours), and our willingness to deal with it.

[BostonFaker]

The proliferation of ATMs has made bank branch hours have to be smaller for better business.

[ezcheese]

The proliferation of ATMs has made bank branch hours have to be smaller for better business.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

if this truly were the case, shouldn't the hours be universal all over the country instead of isolated in new england?

[BostonFaker]

What kind of banks are we talking about?

Middlesex Savings and Charlotte (whatever)

or BOA?

Also, maybe there are cultural differences?

[runawayjim]

What kind of banks are we talking about?

Middlesex Savings and Charlotte (whatever)

or BOA?

Also, maybe there are cultural differences?

not to re-open an old discussion, but your question went unanswered...

every bank from a major chain like bank of america to the local ones seem to close early during the week.

i don't think the ATM boom was part of the problem. i started banking right around the time that ATM cards first started to really catch on (before debit cards really existed). banks were still closing early.

almost every bank stays open late on fridays (usually 6) because that's when most people get paid.

i had one bank, a first union back when it was first union, on uconn's campus that was open until 8 mon-sat and may have even been open shorter hours on sundays. that was always nice to have...

i wish banks would stay open until at least 5 every night because i get out of work at 4:30.

[urbanvb]

I work for a huge bank and I too noticed the shorter hours (4pm) for northern branches which I find interesting. The banks in my area all stay open till 5pm (6 on Friday) and the drive thru sometimes till 5:30 .

[Cotuit]

So is the term "bankers hours" unique to the Northeast then?

[JimSawhill]

ok, so my girlfriend and i needed to get to the bank today to deposit a couple of checks. we were running a little late but it was still a quarter to 5. we got to the door and it was already locked. then the tellers inside held up the number 4. we checked the banking hours on the door and noticed that the bank closes at 4:00 on weekdays. we were stunned. we then had to go to staples to buy some office supplies. we aksed the employees there if all the banks close at 4 or just ours and they replied that all of them close at 4.

is this just common to the Boston metro area or all of New England? i always thought that if anything, northerners would work longer hours, not shorter ones. but it turns out that a lot of other businesses either open later or close sooner than we are used to down in the south. just something i found to be interesting.

Here in Florida, BankAtlantic (a mid-sized Florida bank) is open 7 days a week from 7 am to 7pm. No, they aren't in supermarkets, but as regular banks.

[NovaWolverine]

Here in Florida, BankAtlantic (a mid-sized Florida bank) is open 7 days a week from 7 am to 7pm. No, they aren't in supermarkets, but as regular banks.

from what I've seen, the only banks open late are those that are located in the grocery store, or on fridays, everywhere else it's about 5. All the banks in my neighborhood in NY stayed open until about 4 too.

[mikel]

Support shorter hours, it's better for small business!

I try to do all my shopping/banking etc. in the morning, so I know I'm not contributing to small business failing bc they can't compete with big business hours.

[runawayjim]

Support shorter hours, it's better for small business!

I try to do all my shopping/banking etc. in the morning, so I know I'm not contributing to small business failing bc they can't compete with big business hours.

how does going to the bank early support small business?

[mikel]

how does going to the bank early support small business?

It's a lifestyle. Most businesses in Italy are open from 9-1, then 4-7:30. Most in England are open 9 or 10-6 or so. Closed on Sundays. In America, they're open 7 days a week, 12 hours a day, and it makes it hard for small businesses to compete. So, every little bit helps. I try to shop during traditional hours because every bit counts.

[runawayjim]

It's a lifestyle. Most businesses in Italy are open from 9-1, then 4-7:30. Most in England are open 9 or 10-6 or so. Closed on Sundays. In America, they're open 7 days a week, 12 hours a day, and it makes it hard for small businesses to compete. So, every little bit helps. I try to shop during traditional hours because every bit counts.

so do you only shop at small businesses and only do your banking at local banks?

if not, that whole idea has gone right out the window.

[mikel]

so do you only shop at small businesses and only do your banking at local banks?

if not, that whole idea has gone right out the window.

It doesn't matter. I just shop during normal business hours, no matter what I'm doing. There, sadly, aren't any really small local banks that have branches in downtown Hartford, which is a requirement for my banking needs. I'll use an ATM at any hour though, because it's just a machine.

[runawayjim]

It doesn't matter. I just shop during normal business hours, no matter what I'm doing. There, sadly, aren't any really small local banks that have branches in downtown Hartford, which is a requirement for my banking needs. I'll use an ATM at any hour though, because it's just a machine.

unless you only support small businesses and small banks, you're not doing anything to help them by only shopping during "normal business hours" (which i assume to be 9-5). shopping at national chains during these hours does not hurt their business and does not help small businesses one bit. doing your best to avoid chains at all costs is what needs to be done to hurt them.

[mikel]

unless you only support small businesses and small banks, you're not doing anything to help them by only shopping during "normal business hours" (which i assume to be 9-5). shopping at national chains during these hours does not hurt their business and does not help small businesses one bit. doing your best to avoid chains at all costs is what needs to be done to hurt them.

Oh believe me, I do that too. I pride myself at how I haven't entered a Wal Mart in years. I would support a local bank, but none are located in Hartford these days. The last bank I enjoyed being a part of was Mechanics Bank, until it merged with Webster that is.

[MadVlad]

How about CBT?

[mikel]

How about CBT?

You know, I forgot all about that bank. I'm going to look into it.

For complete disclosure, I have accounts at People's right now, but I'm not married to it.

[runawayjim]

You know, I forgot all about that bank. I'm going to look into it.

For complete disclosure, I have accounts at People's right now, but I'm not married to it.

people's is only a CT bank, so i would hardly call it a large national bank.

[mikel]

people's is only a CT bank, so i would hardly call it a large national bank.

It is, but I like using a bank based in my city. Plus People's has strange ways, like electronic-only accounts. And it's ATMs aren't especially convenient to me. I believe I really am going to open an account at CBT, thanks for the reminder MadVlad. They even have a network of ATM's from other banks called SUM, which has a member ATM right next to my work. Found that out on the website.

[Recchia]

It is, but I like using a bank based in my city. Plus People's has strange ways, like electronic-only accounts. And it's ATMs aren't especially convenient to me. I believe I really am going to open an account at CBT, thanks for the reminder MadVlad. They even have a network of ATM's from other banks called SUM, which has a member ATM right next to my work. Found that out on the website.

Ohh I love SUM ATMs, so glad my credit union is part of it.

[runawayjim]

Ohh I love SUM ATMs, so glad my credit union is part of it.

don't you still have to pay that bank's fees with that? i looked into a credit union when i moved here, and i think they said citizen's was part of SUM, but you still had to pay citizen's fees as an outside user, you just didn't get a charge from the credit union. or do the SUM ATM's assume you're part of that bank and not charge you?