By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

In a letter dated Oct. 25, Emprise Bank notified customers the Hays location at 2701 Hall would permanently close on Friday, Jan. 24.

The location at 1011 E. 27th, which was built in 2014, will remain open.

The closure was attributed to shifts in customer behavior towards online use.

“As banking customer preferences shift towards exceptional digital offerings and experiences, convenience is increasingly measured by having a branch at your fingertips, rather than the number of locations we offer,” the release said. “As we adapt to meeting evolving customer preferences, we are adding new capabilities in our digital offerings. These preferences also affect traffic to our branches, so we are adapting there too by continuously evaluating our branch footprint.”

Employees from the closing location will be transferred to other Hays branch, according to the release.

The bank said it does not plan to change its community engagement.

“Our support of the Hays community will continue, including our involvement with the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce, Hays Medical Center Foundation, Fort Hays State University, and many others,” the release said.

Wichita-based Emprise Bank is Kansas owned and operated, operating in over 20 cities in the state.

The bank began in 1910 as the Stockyards National Bank in Wichita and was bought by the Michaelis family in 1965. After mergers and acquisitions, the bank was renamed Emprise in 1989.

The Michaelis family still owns and serves as senior leadership at the bank, which has assets totaling over $1.7 billion and more than 450 employees.

Customers with questions are directed to call the bank at (855) 383-4301.