Farmers Bank’s new Pomeroy branch will hold grand opening event on Friday, July 20. It will officially be open for business, however, on Monday, July 16. The last day to do retail business at the Second Street location will be on Saturday, July 14, although limited services will be available there until Sept. 1.

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POMEROY — The grand opening of the Pomeroy branch of Farmers Bank in its new 10,000-square-foot building located at 640 E. Main Street overlooking the Ohio River will take place on Friday, July 20.

Paul Reed, president and CEO of Farmers Bank and Savings Co., said the day-long celebration will begin with a community breakfast followed by the raising of a flag which flew over the Capitol and the playing of the National Anthem. The traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at noon with a luncheon to follow. Music for the occasion will be provided by the Meigs High School Band directed by Toney Dingess.

According to Reed, the first day of business at the new Pomeroy Branch will be on Monday, July 16. He said the last day to do retail business at the current Second Street location will be on Saturday, July 14, although limited services will be available there until Sept. 1. At that time, complete renovation of the building will begin in the process of turning the structure into an administrative center.

“The bank had simply outgrown its space since opening for business there on April 1, 1970, and we needed to do something,” said Reed. “In 1970 we were a $25 million dollar bank. Now we’re a $250 million bank with five branches. This new building fulfills our need for more space.”

The lobby entrance features a central customer information and greeting area. To the left are stations for four tellers and four drive-up window service areas, along with the safety deposit box room. Spacious offices for Edna Weber, the Pomeroy branch manager, and loan and customer service officers are to the right. Restrooms and storage areas are located on both floors of the building connected by front and back stairs, as well as an elevator.

The second floor is dominated by a spacious community room which Reed envisions as being a gathering place for meetings and special events. It is a 40 by 56 foot carpeted area which he says will, “accommodate 153 people for a sit-down dinner.”

There is an equipped kitchenette and a storage room to be filled with folding tables and chairs, along with several other rooms which Reed said can be used for future expansion of the banking business as needed. The community room will not be available for use until after the renovation of the Second Street bank building is completed since some administrative employees will be working there during that time.

As an accommodation in times of flooding, a road has been constructed on the elevated site behind the bank building. It extends from Pomeroy Village Hall to Condor Street for the convenience of bank customers and village officials who need to get in and out when the river overflows onto Main Street.