ChoiceOne Bank

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ChoiceOne Bank
10 W Main Street
Grant, MI 49327
Phone: (231)834-5685
Toll Free: 888-775-6687
Email: ch1info@choiceone.com

In 1895 a private bank was started in Sparta by Bruce Keister of Lowell. The bank was then incorporated with $15000 capital as Sparta State Bank in 1898. The lot the main office still sits on today was purchased in 1902 from Allen May for $1,200. Later the first phone was installed in 1904. In the 20’s the capital of the bank increased to $30,000 and additional stock shares were sold at $200 per share.

In 1935 the bank became a member of the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) and installment loans were made available to customers for the first time. In 1951 the bank moved its office across the street to the current location of the main office today at 109 E Division. Following this move in 1955 the bank consolidated with Peoples State Bank in Sparta.

In the 1960’s the main office was renovated and part of this renovation included the installation of the first drive up window. Another expansion would follow in the 1970’s. ATM’s (automatic teller machines) were installed for the first time in the 1980’s. In the 1990’s the first branch office was opened in Sparta on the corner of Ida Red and Division Street. The addition of 24 hour telephone banking took place in 1995 to allow customers the ability to call an automated service 24 hours a day.

In 1996 the name of the holding company became ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc. The Bank as a subsidiary also changed its name to ChoiceOne Bank. A second subsidiary ChoiceOne Insurance Agencies also began because ChoiceOne acquired the Bradford Insurance Agency (in Cedar Springs and Sparta, Michigan) and the Omega Agency (on Plainfield Avenue in Grand Rapids). With this change came the addition of the Plainfield Branch office and the Cedar Springs Branch office. The Plainfield office has since been closed. The following year the Alpine Branch office was opened after the purchase of Alpine Travel. The Alpine office was located near the corner of M-37 and 6 mile Road in Comstock Park. ChoiceOne no longer offers travel products.

In 2001 new “imaging” systems were installed replacing the old proof machines and in 2002 electronic cash management services were made available to retail and commercial customers. Also the creation of our third subsidiary took place with the addition of ChoiceOne Mortgage Company of Michigan. In 2004 the Rockford Office was built near the corner of Belding Road and Northland Drive. The following year in 2005 a new Alpine office was built just down the road still near the corner of 6 mile road on M-37 in Comstock Park.

Meanwhile, in 1907 nearby in Kent City a partnership was started know as Kent City Banking Company. The original capital of the Bank totaled $10,000 and in 1910 the partnership was converted to a banking corporation known as Kent City State Bank. The Bank experienced success during the depression of the 1930’s which even though an extremely difficult time no depositor of the bank lost any deposits and 100% of all the deposits earned interest. Many banks during this year were not so fortunate.

To better serve customers the bank began opening branch offices in 1978 beginning with the Ravenna Office and in 1982 with the Egelston office. In 1985 a new administration office was added to the Kent City location and in 1987 a new ATM was added to the drive up lane. In 1989 the holding company changed its name to Valley Ridge Financial Corp. and in that same year the Sparta Branch office was opened. Then, the following year in 1990 the Coopersville branch was opened.

December of 1996 marked the merger of Kent City State Bank with Grant State Bank creating Valley Ridge Bank. The merger resulted with new locations in Grant and Newaygo. In 1997 another branch was opened in White Cloud and construction began on the new main office in Kent City. By 1998 this new facility was open for business. The newest branch office is the Fremont branch, which opened in 2002.

Most recently, in 2006, ChoiceOne Financial Service, Inc. and Valley Ridge Financial Corp. announced and completed a merger agreement. During November and December of 2006, the holding companies merged and the subsidiaries ChoiceOne Bank and Valley Ridge Bank also merged. The holding company maintained the name ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc. and the Bank also maintained the name ChoiceOne Bank as a result of the merger. This allows the opportunity to offer customers the convenience of 13 branch offices, multiple ATM locations, a large array of products and services and the same great service they have come to appreciate. Together the organization has a long record of involvement in the communities it serves.

© Copyright ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc. 2006 ChoiceOne Bank