HomeTown Bank | Waconia, MN
Special Feature: Co-Branding with Mocha Monkey
BUILDING TYPE
Financial
YEAR BUILT
2015
DESIGN SCOPE
Remodel
PROJECT SIZE
12,000 sf
HomeTown Bank was heading to a new home. The Bank knew that establishing themselves in a new community would be difficult without differentiating themselves from the competition right from the start. This meant big changes and a completely new approach to how they do business. The Bank needed an owner’s representative relationship with a firm that would coordinate every aspect of the transformation, from branding and signage to building design, construction and beyond. Since the Bank emphasized relationships in their business model, they needed a design firm that understood and valued relationships as much as they did, and one who could develop creative ways to help guide them through the process of changing from a transaction-based bank to a relationship-based bank. HTG Architects invests in relationships as a core company value and the team was a natural fit.
DESIGN CHALLENGE
Right from the beginning, HTG began working with HomeTown Bank to create fresh new retail concepts for improving efficiency, better serving customers and removing the “barriers” of the traditional banking model. Implementing newer technologies and strategies like a tellerless lobby, concierge stations and teller cash recyclers, HTG used their InVision programming process and EvoBank® planning tools to energize the design discussions and lead to the discovery of new and creative ways for HomeTown Bank to stand out above the competition.
One of those outcomes was co-branding with Mocha Monkey Coffee Shop. HTG worked closely with the Bank to integrate Mocha Monkey into the interior of the Bank in a way that encouraged cross collaboration between the Bank and the casual relaxed atmosphere of Mocha Monkey. Customer time on the premises was greatly improved and the Bank co-partnered with two other tenants as well. HTG Architects designed the layout of the new facility so that all three tenants could benefit with the Bank in a collaborative, interactive environment.
Listening carefully to HomeTown Bank’s goals enabled HTG Architects and the team to conceive of and implement a plan to increase the Bank’s traffic and efficiency, retain its customers on site longer and stand out from the crowd.
