Norway Savings reopens lobbies at 23 locations

Photo / PETER VAN ALLEN Norway Savings reopened lobbies at 23 of its 24 branches, including this one in Yarmouth. The bank had closed the lobbies in November after a spike of COVID-19 cases.

Write a Comment

By Peter Van Allen

Norway Savings Bank has reopened 23 of its 24 branch lobbies that were closed last fall after a rise of COVID-19 cases.

The bank reopened the lobbies Monday, four months after closing them on Nov. 18. The branch lobby at 120 Exchange St. in Portland is the only location that remains closed, though customers can use the drive-up and walk-up service windows.

Norway Savings said it will "continue to adhere to Maine CDC guidelines, making masks and hand sanitizer available for customers and encouraging social distancing," the bank said in news release Monday.

"We have been looking forward to this," said Darci Hamm, EVP and senior retail banking officer. "While we’ve been able to keep branches open with drive-up and appointment banking since November, we are excited to be able to see and help our customers in person every day."

While the lobbies are open, waiting areas in the branches will remain closed for now and there will be limitations on the number of customers allowed in the lobby at one time. These practices are necessary in order to keep employees and customers safe, the bank said.

Norway Savings, which is based in Norway, has 24 locations and assets of $1.525 billion, ranking it No. 7 among Maine-based banks.