LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Southern Door Will Miss Nicolet Bank Branch

I would like to think that I am speaking for the majority of Southern Door County in speaking up about the Brussels branch of Nicolet Bank being closed. Are we upset about it? Oh, yes, we are. But what upsets us even more is something specific that Mr. Atwell [Bob Atwell, chair and CEO] said in the Pulse’s June 5 article about the bank closures:

“The physical convenience that the branch locations offer is important and real to people, Atwell said, but it’s not the essence of the bank’s value.

“‘If that’s all they really care about, I don’t know what kind of relationship we had,’ he said.”

Well, Mr. Atwell, we all have had a wonderful relationship with the Brussels branch and its terrific staff, even long before it became Nicolet. I personally have an account there. My business has three accounts there. It’s not a matter of convenience. It’s a matter of keeping it local. Doing business locally. Supporting our community. 

Brussels and the entire Southern Door area are a very tight and strong community. Most in our area can’t get internet to do online banking, including at my home in Brussels. 

This community needs a physical bank, with real people, more than anyone. For Nicolet to call itself a community bank, it’s pretty much abandoning this community. We relied on that branch.

Mr. Atwell, if you and Nicolet think that everyone in Brussels (Southern Door County) cared only about the convenience, you couldn’t be more wrong!

Paula Jones

General Manager, Wave Pointe Marina and Resort

Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin