North Carolina Banks Rethink Value, Placement of In-Store Bank Braches.

Byline: Richard Craver

Jul. 29--Consumer demand for expanded financial services has led some banks and local merchants to rethink their in-store branch strategy.

Some banks and credit unions have relied upon in-store branches, placed mainly in supermarkets, retail stores and office buildings, as a cost-effective way to establish a presence in a market. Banking officials said that building a free-standing branch could cost more than $1 million depending on the site, while an in-store branch typically can be built for just 10 percent of that.

But consumers' increasing requests for non-deposit services, such as mortgage and car loans, trusts and asset management and insurance policies, has led …