The Northwest Voice

All > News
Question of the Week: Will Downey Savings close?
Topics:
Posted by lward Mon Feb 28, 2005 09:36:00 PST
Viewed 429 times
1 response 0 comments Is it true that the Downey Savings and Loan Association locations within Ralphs are closing along with the grocery store?
A bothered banker

Yes. In January, Ralphs officials informed employees that it intended to shutter the Bakersfield stores, and later that month Save Mart announced that it had bought three Bakersfield Ralphs stores on Stockdale Highway, Olive Drive and Hageman Road.

But in early February, it was announced that instead of operating the Stockdale store as a Save Mart Supermarket, the company plans to sub-lease it out.

The company also plans to close the Save Mart at 2733 Calloway Drive and move the operations of that store to what is now a Ralphs on Hageman Road.

As a result of the takeover, Downey Savings and Loan will be closing its two Bakersfield locations within the Ralphs on Stockdale and Hageman on March 5.

The closest location will then be the Lancaster branch.

"I'm bummed out. I've been really happy with their service," said Northwest resident Lisa Rogers, who's banked with Downey for a little more than a year.

"They were very friendly and personable. I got to know all of the tellers," said Rogers, who enjoyed the proximity of the location, the fact that they were open Sundays and the convenience of being able to do her shopping and banking in one spot.

The bank is in the process of looking for a new location. Rogers, who likes to do her banking in person, has opened an account at Kern Schools Federal Credit Union.

Diane Baeza, Downey assistant manager, estimates that the two branches serve about 1,000 clients in Bakersfield. While Rogers went elsewhere, Downey hopes others will stick with the bank throughout the transition.

"We've been letting people know about the closures via mail," said Baeza. "Accounts are being transferred over, and they can still bank over the phone and by mail or fax," said Baeza, who noted that ATMs are still open throughout town, including inside Food 4 Less locations.

For more information about nearby ATM locations, go to downeysavings.com.

Send to a Friend

Report a Violation