TD Canada Trust and its predecessors have been a mainstay on Huntsville’s Main Street for almost 120 years. The Dominion Bank opened in 1899 – back then it was where The Hudson Hair Salon is now – and moved to the corner of Main and King Street in 1926 where it remains today. But soon it will be gone.
The bank recently began contacting the customers at its Main Street branch to tell them that the location will be closing at the end of the day on February 9, 2018. The branch will merge with the bank’s existing location on North Kinton Avenue, which will be closed on February 10 for the relocation.
Carly Libman with TD Bank Group’s Corporate and Public Affairs department said that the company regularly reviews its branches and considers “a number of factors before making decisions to merge branches, including declining transactions in this location.”
Libman wouldn’t say how many employees the branch has or whether there would be job losses as a result of the move, only that TD is working with employees at the Main Street location to “identify alternative roles where possible at our other locations.” Some may move to the North Kinton location.
Existing banking arrangements like pre-authorized payments and direct deposits will be unaffected by the merger, she said.
TD owns the building, but Libman would not comment on what the company intends to do with it once the relocation is complete.
In Huntsville: With Spirit and Resolve, Susan Pryke writes: “In 1921, the Dominion Bank purchased the Bettes block. The bank had occupied the westerly portion of the building adjacent to the post office since 1900. In 1925 the company decided it needed more space and planned a new building at the corner of King and Main Streets. This was the site of the former White Brothers Hardware Store, which had been taken over by Hern Hardware. Hern Hardward moved into the old post office location. The old bank became the office of Dr. Edgar Evans, a family physician.”
Don’t miss out on Doppler! Sign up for our free newsletter here.
Tessa Brown says
This is ridiculous, move the bank from the conveyance of downtown to out in the middle of nowhere. This is the height of stupidity. I can say after having an account at td since I was 13 more than 20 years I now will be opening an account at another downtown bank.
Ruby Truax says
I think, Tessa, that ‘convenience’ is actually the reason they’re closing this branch. According to a TD Bank spokesperson, more people are using the Commerce Park location than the downtown location. For people who drive, parking is always an issue downtown, whereas the Commerce Park location has lots of parking. Perhaps that’s been a factor.
Nadya Tarasoff says
Profit before consideration of loyal customers. Why the new, out of the way branch on North Kinton?
Jim Sinclair says
The access from the parking area to the front door is much better at TD’s other Branch for us old Geezers. Plus, they have Drive Through banking which is a bonus. Hopefully management will see fit to have more tellers to eliminate standing in line. The only thing worse than climbing hills and stairs to the Main St. branch is standing in line, the really ticks us off. We just are not able to do it people.
Bill Beatty says
When the financial and alcoholic beverage outlets leave an established downtown mercantile centre , it is not long before more empty stores appear. Back when the TD opened their branch in Commerce Park, part of the agreement for the new bank location was to keep the downtown branch there.T he Beer Store has relocated further following the departure of The LCBO…..Convenience for some but when that results in the demise of a vibrant economic hub then we all lose !
Bob Waterhouse says
TD and all the other Canadian big banks RBC..ScotiaBank..CIBC…are very good long term investments with strong growth solid dividends and safety with stability. So instead of complaining about customer service become an owner…purchase the stock and enjoy returns tax efficient growth…businesses exist for profit…and the most profitable ones such as TD will make you wealthy if you buy and hold …..Bob Waterhouse..long time TD customer and shareholder.
Bill Beatty says
Bob , as a shareholder of all 5 major Banks for close to 20 years I feel I have the right to criticize or question their action ! That’s what ownership gives you !
Brian Tapley says
Progress is always change and in this case it is a bit sad to see the traditional downtown lose another cornerstone.
One can see that Huntsville is not really big enough to need two TD banks. Also, more and more banking is done remotely via the internet, so much so that banks of brick and mortar …. well their very days may be numbered.
Just 3 or 4 years ago most of my transactions were still by cheque, at least for business, but now, in just that short time things have changed so that most transactions are now over the internet. It is faster and easier but I always wonder what do I do when the computer for some reason fails to be able to connect? This happens with significant regularity with many internet items and I kind of liked visiting the bank in person as it always “worked”.
Speaking of working. The staff at the downtown branch have always been very helpful in my dealings with them. I do hope they all manage to keep their jobs.
Speaking of progress… not always the case. Take for example the new Beer Store. It does not have enough parking on many days and there is nowhere to expand to. What genius built it on a hill, a steep hill? They did realize that one uses a wheeled cart to move bottles of product right? Well the carts don’t have brakes and getting one to stay in place at your vehicle to load or unload items at the new Beer store is a bit of an experiment in multitasking!! A vote here for a dumb place to build and a dumb way to build it!
Once again, as with the TD bank, the staff are great so this makes up for the location somewhat. I just have to think that the new site is really not much of an improvement over the old “Beer Lake” site.
Ellen Duncan says
Our Main Street is certainly taking a beating. How sad.
Ellen
Bonnie Branton, Huntsville says
Good news: I understand TD will still have an ATM downtown after amalgamating the 2 branches. Great!
The Town of Huntsville is more than 1 street now.
I greatly appreciate North Kinton’s huge parking lot, drive through & proximity to many of Huntsville’s other major businesses – Home Depot, Independant Grocers etc., etc.