When customers enter lane No. 3 at Haven (Kan.) State Bank's drive-up window, a bronze marker reminds them that they once came to the same spot for a haircut.
Lane 3 was put in this year where Ed Rubner's barbershop had stood for 40 years. After Mr. Rubner retired, Haven State razed the building to make room for two more drive-up lanes.
Mike Fahrbach, president of Haven State, is one of Mr. Rubner's former customers. "When the building came down, it just struck me that when people pass by they may not remember what used to be there," Mr. Fahrbach said. "We wanted to ensure everyone remembered and gave him the recognition he deserves."
First National of Emporia, Kan., traded in its national charter for a state charter and was renamed First Community Bank.
Mike Astle, president and co-owner of the 78-year-old, two-branch bank, said he was concerned the word "national" implied the $35 million-asset institution wasn't locally owned, a liability in Kansas' rapidly consolidating bank market.
"The name 'national' has stirred up a little furor around here," he said. "We thought the name 'community' would better reflect our mission."
After changing the charter last month, First Community went on a local radio and newspaper advertising blitz to explain to customers that the bank hadn't changed ownership and has the same staff.
"We tried to make it clear that the only thing that changed was the name," Mr. Astle said.
Carolina Bank is trying to lure customers by appealing to their loyalty to local colleges.
The Greensboro, N.C., bank this week began offering its "Roundball/CD," a certificate of deposit that lets customers donate accrued interest to North Carolina A&T State University, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro College, and Guilford College.
Interest earned on the six-month CD is based on a formula incorporating the won-lost records of the men's and women's basketball teams at each school. Each week the number of games won by the teams is multiplied by 0.008%. The result is then added to the interest rate.
Customers can earn up to 6.5% on the certificates, which have a base rate of 5.3%.
"We wanted to do something fun," said Robert T. Braswell, Carolina Bank president and chief executive officer. "It's not your simple, standard, variable-rate CD tied to the Treasury."
