BOISE — Wells Fargo & Co. plans to close 10 Wells Fargo and First Security bank branches in Idaho during the first quarter of the new year as the newly merged bank moves to eliminate duplication of services.
The branches will not be closed for a few months, but Wells Fargo officials want customers who use them to know they will be asked to use other locations when the time comes.
In most cases the bank has decided whether to close a Wells Fargo branch or a First Security branch when the two are located near each other.
"In some cases you can look out the window of one branch and see the other branch," said J. Pat McMurray, regional president and chief executive officer of Wells Fargo Idaho.
Two branches are scheduled to close in Boise and one each in Caldwell, Nampa, Twin Falls, Jerome, Hayden Lake, Sandpoint, Post Falls and Pocatello. All but two are Wells Fargo branches. No closures are planned until Wells Fargo merges the two banking chains' computers.
McMurray said the changes will have little or no effect on customers of either bank.
"We have a handful of customers who will have to change their account numbers when the time comes," he said. "However, they will be notified and the bank will pay for any fees that occur because of that . . . such as replacing checks."
Eventually, all of the existing First Security branches will be changed to Wells Fargo branches now that the merger between the two banks is complete. The changeover is expected to occur in April.
Wells Fargo is not planning on laying off any personnel because of the branch closures, bank officials said.