Students no longer have to bear the long lines and wait when banking at the PNC Bank on Liacouras Walk. The vacant space that formerly housed Dunkin’ Donuts and Togo’s is now home to a full-service branch of PNC Bank, offering more than 2,000 square feet of space compared to the 800 square feet in the old location.
“We’re definitely seeing a decrease in the lines that we used to have at the other branch … so customers are getting in and getting out a lot quicker with that,” said Erick Glenn, branch manager of the new location.
The new branch opened its doors in early January and celebrated its grand opening with a live DJ, free pizza and hoagies, and a number of giveaways to usher students and faculty into the new, larger location at the beginning of the semester.
“We actually had a prize wheel that every potential customer or [current] customer could spin and they won a prize ranging from a keychain to a PNC mug or T-shirt from Temple and PNC,” Glenn said.
Since opening, the new branch has experienced an increase in business, according to Glenn, as his branch is no longer seen an express banking center for students. “We’ve had an increase in faculty and staff opening accounts and coming in for other matters other than just checking accounts,” Glenn said. “People are asking about mortgages with PNC, which is something we rarely ever saw.”
With a bigger space, this PNC branch is open for longer hours, has more tellers and additional ATMs.
The bank now opens a half-hour earlier during the week, including Saturdays, which was not available at the old branch.
Inside, there are four sales desks with added privacy, a full-service teller line for face-to-face transactions and three 24-hour ATMs with another located in the lobby. A sitting area hosts a television while a Web station, provides two computers for online banking. There is a coin-counting machine and a conference room in which the bank plans to hold student seminars on budgeting, banking basics and identity theft.
“You don’t have to wait in line for 10 months,” said sophomore political science major James Beebe of the additional ATMs. Mary Nwoseu, a senior biology and chemistry major, said, “I don’t like the fact that there are three ATMs in one room because someone else with a bank card can come in while I’m using the ATM.” After hours, a PNC-issued ATM card is necessary to access the ATMs.
Security cameras were installed in each ATM and Campus Police also patrols the vicinity. Yet, Capt. Denise Wilhelm of Campus Safety Services warned users to be aware of their surroundings and to not use the ATMs if anyone nearby makes he or she feel uncomfortable.
She also advised that students employ the buddy system as a safe method for after-hour ATM use. Bernard Mason, a senior majoring in broadcast journalism, found the new ATMs to be more well-lit than the previous ones.
“When you go to use [the ATM] at night, you don’t have to constantly look behind you,” he said. Even though students were accustomed to the popular Dunkin’ Donuts, many welcome the improved PNC Bank as a viable replacement.
“I’d rather have the new PNC because you have 7-Eleven right over there,” said Tim Ruffin, a recent graduate. Second-year law student, John Risler, who was upset when the Dunkin’ Donuts closed, said he doesn’t mind PNC taking its old space “as long as they open the new one across from the Draught Horse.”
Although Dunkin’ Donuts will not return to Liacouras Walk, Saxbys Coffee, a coffee chain with more than 2,400 locations in 19 states, will move into PNC’s former location and is expected to open no later than August.
Amanda Snyder can be reached at asnyder@temple.edu
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