The Bank of Missouri today held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its first full-service Branson branch, around three years after the company entered the market.
Mick Nitsch, Springfield community bank president, said the branch, 1313 State Highway 248, opened to customers Nov. 23. Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau and other officials met today for the grand opening.
Nitsch said the eight-employee branch, including two recent hires, is led by David Cook, The Bank of Missouri’s Branson community bank president.
Ozark-based Woodstone Builders LLC served as general contractor on the
$2 million project, which was designed by Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Russell Crader Studios.
Nitsch said the 7,100-square-foot branch replaces the Perryville-based company’s loan production office in Branson.
He said the branch has interactive teller machines, aka “
teller pods,” which allow customers to conduct such bank functions as ordering debit cards, performing online banking and applying for a new PIN.
“We have kiosks set up so that our employees interact with the customers almost immediately when they come through the front door,” Nitsch said.
The kiosks still have employees to work with customers, which is unlike some machines in bigger cities that allow customers to perform all of their banking needs without talking to anyone.
“I don’t think southwest Missouri is quite ready for that,” Nitsch said. “This market needs the personal interaction of a physical person discussing their needs and conducting the transaction for them.”
