By Emily Ford
eford@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY – Bank of America has closed its branch at 200 Statesville Boulevard in Salisbury.
A decline in transactions at the branch led to the decision, Bank of America spokeswoman Nicole Nastacie said.
The bank mailed letters to customers 90 days before the branch closed on Oct. 12 “to give them ample time to become familiar with another location, including our West Innes Street location that is just over a mile away,” Nastacie said in an email.
Customers increasingly rely on other banking channels like mobile and online banking, Nastacie said, and Bank of America has acknowledged the number of banking centers in its nationwide network will decrease over the next few years.
She said Bank of America expects minimal impact from the branch closure, given the close proximity of the location at 500 W. Innes St.
Nastacie said she could not disclose the number of people who worked at the branch but added that when a banking center closes, Bank of America provides various forms of assistance to employees who lose their jobs, including helping them find other opportunities within the company.
Employees at the Statesville Boulevard branch were relocated to other banking centers, she said.
The Wall Street Journal reported last month that Bank of America Corp. plans to cut 16,000 jobs by year end as it speeds up a company-wide cost-cutting initiative amid declining revenues.
Bank of America, the second-largest bank in the country, has said it plans to eliminate 30,000 jobs by the end of 2013.
Nastacie did not comment on whether the Statesville Boulevard closure was connected to the initiative, dubbed Project New BAC.
Contact reporter Emily Ford at 704-797-4264.