Harrisville residents, businesses worry about bank closure

HARRISVILLE, New York (WWNY) - Businesses and residents in Harrisville are voicing concerns because the Community Bank branch in the village is set to close this spring.

“I have my personal account with the bank so it’s going to be an awful inconvenience for us to have to travel to get cash,” said Ross Young, Harrisville resident.

The bank is down the street from Chuck’s Market. Owner Chuck Fowler says that’s handy.

“(It’s) a big one, just getting our change so that our day-to-day operations, our deposits for the business and personal,” he said.

As people go to the nearest Community Bank branches in Star Lake or West Carthage, Fowler worries people will start doing other business in those communities too.

“What are they going to do once they are in a different town? Are they going to do more than banking? Maybe do their grocery shopping? Maybe get their hardware or things that they will get at the pharmacy,” he said.

Harrisville Hardware owner Rob Bernhard agrees and believes the village can support a local bank.

“I hope that we get another bank to talk to us and come in. I know the town will support it,” he said.

Town of Diana Supervisor Zach Smith says the town will reach out to other banks to see if they’d be interested in putting a branch in Harrisville once Community Bank closes on April 28.

We reached out to Community Bank about why it’s closing the branch, but we didn’t hear back.

Copyright 2023 WWNY. All rights reserved.