Branson Bank breaks ground on $3M branch

Last edited 2:01 p.m., Oct. 16, 2023 [Editor's note: The story has been updated with the construction timeline, square footage and an employee count.] 

Branson Bank broke ground Oct. 13 for a new branch in Branson West.

The 3,200-square-foot project at 17035 State Highway 13 will be the fifth full-service branch – all of which are in Taney and Stone counties, according to bank officials. The bank already operates a temporary facility on the site that opened earlier this year with seven employees, and the new building is expected to be finished in fall 2024.

Officials say Federal Construction Inc. is the project manager, and the branch design is modeled after Branson Bank’s main location at 1501 State Highway 248 in Branson.

“The Branson West team is very excited to break ground,” said bank Vice President and Commercial Lender Eric Simkins, in a video of the ceremony posted to the bank’s Facebook page. “It’s ceremonial, but it’s the start of the project.”

Simkins also credited Community Bank Lender Larry Maloney for starting a loan production office in the market a few years ago.

“That really started what we wanted to do here in Branson West, which is bringing our brand of banking to Stone County,” Simkins said. “I came on board about two years ago, and we saw the need quickly for a full-service retail location.”

Bank CEO Bill Jones told the crowd the project investment is over $3 million.

“We’ll be moving dirt here next week,” he said. “So, you’ll be able to start to see this corner really take shape.”