Business

BNB opens 'soft' on Island: Offical opening is July

By Julie Lane

JULIE LANE PHOTO | It has taken a few months, but Bridgehampton National Bank opened its branch office on Shelter Island Saturday in what Claudia Pilato, vice president and director of marketing called a “soft opening.” The grand opening is slated for July 5.

It has been about a year since Bridgehampton National Bank officials began scouting Shelter Island for an appropriate site for a branch, finally settling on the Boltax building on North Ferry Road.

The bank branch opened Saturday in what vice president and marketing director Claudia Pilato called a “soft opening.”  There are just a few banners that might be mistaken for the ongoing celebration of the Memorial Day weekend and a small sign on the door along with a peek inside to realize that there are staff working there indicates the bank is operating.

A grand opening is set for July 5, Ms. Pilato said.

Bank officials had to go through a number of hurdles both locally and with the U. S. Controller of Currency to win approval for the branch. Locally, landlady Karen Boltax had to move her own gallery space to the south to make room for the bankers. There was work to do on security measures necessary for a bank branch. And there were some hurdles to meet neighbors’ concerns about parking and traffic.

 

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