Columbia Bank to open innovative branch concept in Boise

It’s a bank branch. It’s an arts venue. It’s a meeting place. It’s a NeighborHub, and Columbia Bank is bringing one to downtown Boise, at 190 N. 8th St.

“Columbia Bank is excited to be bringing our award-winning NeighborHub to the heart of Boise!” posted Nicole Sherman, executive vice president, director of retail banking and digital integration at Columbia Bank, on LinkedIn.

According to her post, the Tacoma, Washington-based bank posted an ad for a “NeighborHub Manager” position in Boise two weeks ago.

“Can’t wait for our new NeighborHub to open in Downtown Boise!!” responded Warren Kouba, vice president of commercial banking

“So excited to be a part of the Boise community,” responded Chris Severin, senior vice president and market regional manager, based in Spokane. “Look forward to opening soon.”

Cory Jakobson, senior vice president and commercial team lead in Treasure Valley commercial banking for Columbia, confirmed in an email message that the bank will open a downtown Boise location later this summer but wouldn’t provide further details.

What is a NeighborHub?

Columbia Bank opened its first NeighborHub in Ballard, Washington, a suburb of Seattle, a year ago, Sherman said in an online message. As the name implies, it is intended to act as a neighborhood meeting place, providing space for meetings and even cultural events as well as serving as a traditional bank branch.

“At night, an array of curated events reflect what’s really going on in the neighborhood,” according to a description of the Ballard NeighborHub on the Columbia Bank website. “The calendar features everything from seminars on managing cash flow and homeownership to events focused on the arts and culture that matter most to that neighborhood. The NeighborHub layout encourages people to engage with bankers and financial solutions from the moment they walk in. Flexible spaces in the NeighborHub allow for small business workshops, neighborhood gatherings and small nonprofit seminars. Business owners can conveniently conduct a meeting, get work done and have easy access to conveniences such as coffee selections and other refreshments.”

Cash and cookies

Such amenities are increasingly common in urban banks — and that includes Idaho banks, said Trent Wright, president and CEO of the Idaho Bankers Association, in an email message.

For example, JPMorgan Chase Bank recently opened a coffee shop in one of its Manhattan branches, just down the street from a Capital One branch that has a Peet’s Coffee. Capital One has Capital One Cafés in a number of locations nationwide, including Portland, that include Peet’s coffee shops, though they are temporarily closed due to COVID-19.

Also in downtown Boise, Umpqua Bank is participating in the nationwide trend. While Idaho branches don’t have the full-fledged cafés some Portland-area Umpqua branches have, the downtown Boise branch has a free coffee bar and tea setup, as well as cookies on Fridays for customers or anyone else who drops by.

Exactly what amenities the Boise Columbia Bank branch will include are not clear, but one thing is for sure. “Excellent coffee will be served, we promise!” Sherman posted.

History in Idaho

Columbia Bank entered the Idaho market in 2014 with the purchase of Intermountain Community Bancorp, which had run banks under the names Panhandle State Bank in northern Idaho, Magic Valley Bank in south-central Idaho and Intermountain Bank in southwest Idaho. At the time, Intermountain was the third-largest bank headquartered in Idaho.

The purchase was a stock-and-cash deal valued at $121.5 million.

Columbia leaders said at the time that the merger was done in part to gain entrance to Boise and Idaho banking markets, touting the state’s economic growth and low unemployment.

According to the Columbia Bank website, it has 14 Idaho branches, including seven in North Idaho, two in the Twin Falls area, one in Ontario, Oregon, and the remainder in the Treasure Valley. The publicly traded and state-chartered bank has more than 150 branches and ATMs in Idaho, Oregon and Washington.