FirstMerit Bank’s local branch closing in July

By Correne Martin

FirstMerit Bank announced last month that, as of July 22, at 5:30 p.m., its branch at 300 E. Blackhawk Ave., in Prairie du Chien, will permanently close. Accounts will be moved to the FirstMerit Darlington branch, located at 207 Wells St.

Customers of the Prairie du Chien branch were notified of its upcoming closure via an April 19 mailed letter, signed by Doug Young, senior vice president and director of retail banking, at FirstMerit. The letter explained that, with banking features such as online bill pay, paperless statements, external transfers, mobile deposits and person-to-person payments, access to customers’ needs would remain at people’s fingertips.

Safe deposit box holders were directed to close out and relocate their boxes by July 19. Reimbursements for unused portions of safe deposit box leases will be made, according to the letter.
“FirstMerit is here to make this transition as simple as possible for you,” the letter states.

Questions should be directed to Nick Wilz, Prairie du Chien branch manager, at 326-2424 or the Customer Contact Center at (888) 554-4362.

Just prior to this announcement, news spread that FirstMerit Bank’s Lancaster, Fennimore, Dickeyville and Potosi branches in Grant County would be sold in July to Peoples State Bank, headquartered in Prairie du Chien. This transaction involves the sale of the buildings, loans and deposits associated with the branches.

FirstMerit Corp. is headquartered in Akron, Ohio, and had assets of $25.5 billion as of Dec. 31.

When contacted, Wilz said he was unable to answer questions regarding the closure of the Prairie du Chien FirstMerit branch closure. He passed the Courier Press’ request for an interview onto the bank’s media relations department in Ohio. No contact was made in the last two weeks, and several messages left with that office were unanswered by press time.