D-Biz: Peoples State Bank anchors Hamtramck for 100 years

Hamtramck's oldest business, Peoples State Bank, celebrated its 100th birthday last week. "We know the customers, the neighborhood," says Vince Szymborski, the bank's senior vice president of retail banking. "Our name and reputation have been in the community forever, and we are very proud of that."

The bank, which was founded in Hamtramck in 1909, now has 11 branches in three counties -- with its oldest branch leading the pack in terms of transaction volume. Mike Tierney, president and CEO, says that Hamtramck's density contributes to that fact. "People are just as likely to walk to the bank as they are to drive up and park in our parking lot," he says. "It's the way Hamtramck is built...It's unique and you don't see it that much any more."

Twenty-four languages are spoken at the branch, located at the corner of Jos. Campau and Holbrook, to enable communication with Hamtramck's diverse population. "Hamtramck is a gateway city for immigrants," says Tierny. "We serve the needs of those folks, particularly immigrant entrepreneurs -- that is where we do a better job than any other bank."

Sources: Vince Szymborski and Mike Tierny, Peoples State Bank
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh