Haverhill Bank receives first approval for Salem, N.H. branch

Haverhill Bank will join CVS and other stores in a planned 22,000 s/f retail plaza along Rte. 97 at the Methuen, Mass. and Salem border. The Salem planning board gave conditional approval to the plaza at 389-396 Main St. and 5 Hampstead Rd. The development on the site of the Green Barn restaurant is part of a plan by Thur Ken II. The traditional, New England-style building features wood-frame construction, brick finishes, clapboard siding and decorative fabric awnings. Haverhill Bank plans two drive-up teller lanes and a drive-up ATM lane. The bank branch, Haverhill Bank's first in the state, will have six to eight employees. "This is an exciting time for Haverhill Bank and its customers. The Rte. 97 location, just outside of Haverhill's border, has been underserved by financial institutions. I am pleased to respond to this need and deliver greater convenience to consumers and business alike," said Haverhill Bank president and CEO Thomas Mortimer. Mortimer said Haverhill Bank's next step is to gain approval from bank regulators. A depositor-owned institution, Haverhill Bank was founded in 1877 and is the oldest cooperative bank in Mass. The bank's main office is at 180 Merrimack St. in Haverhill.