The Savings Institute - Groton, CT
THE SAVINGS INSTITUTE 971 POQUONNOCK ROAD
GROTON, CONN
CLOSED 2017
So here we have a bit of an oddball in the scope of retail past... This isn't 'retail' per-say, but it's pretty interesting nonetheless.
The Savings Institute is a local branch of banks in the Connecticut Area, and have since left a former location abandoned after constructing a new facility across the street. This particular location is located at 971 Poquonnock Road in Groton, CT, in the Groton Shoppers Mart. The strip mall is anchored by a Big Y Supermarket and an Ocean State Job Lot. Also in the plaza are an abandoned Movie Theater, Planet Fitness, and RadioShack, all of which you can see on our Flickr page HERE!
Besides the removal of some signage and the drive-thru ATM, not much else has been done on the property.
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| The Drive-Thru ATM Lane. The left lane was for exiting through traffic from the parking lot |
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| A close-up look at the former location of the ATM |
Clearly there wasn't too much work done when the Savings Institute left as they left all of their directional signs up within the parking lot.
The parking lot area was actually surprising lively considering it's for a vacant bank. A few stores from within the Shoppers Mart staked in some road signs to draw attention.
The building itself was pretty out-of-date, as it opened in the 1950s and hasn't seen too much renovation since its opening.
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| A view of the bank entrance |
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| Label left on the after-hours depository box |
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| Peering inside the entrance vestibule |
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| Look at that Savings Institute notification board! |
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| Looking in through some more windows |
Inside the entrance vestibule there was a little desk along the left wall where customers would be able to write out checks and deposit/withdrawal slips, but I wasn't able to get a good picture of it. There was a note left on it which read:
We have moved to 996 Poquonnock Road.
This Office Along With the ATM and Night Drop Have Relocated
to 996 Poquonnock Road, Which is Located Across the Street.
Come check it out.
-The Savings Institute
Odd location to leave the message if you ask me, as it was near-impossible to read. I suspect that it was meant to get taped up on the window, but they must've forgotten to put it up before they moved out. I mean it wasn't really hard to find the new building as it quite literally was directly across the street.
My favorite part about this particular abandoned location is that in front of the entrance and behind a little stone wall, there was a collection of three Savings Institute coffee mugs. Why they're there... I don't know, but it was quite the interesting find.
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| I might have taken two of the mugs back home with me... |
Now getting back to the bank... I walked around the building counterclockwise, as that's how the traffic for the Drive-Up teller was routed.
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There wasn't anything too special on the rear of the building. Just an employee entrance and some covered windows.
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| Looking inside the window on the employee entrance |
The rear of the building still bore a large 'The Savings Institute' sign. Judging from how there was tape on it, they may have tried to cover it, but the covering has since been taken down. It still features the chain's older style logo.
Most of the signage from the drive-thru teller lane has been taken down. All that really remains is the Clearance banner and some decals on the window.
Looking out from the drive-thru lane, you can see the new building across the street
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| Looking inside of the front |
There was also a stray shopping cart from Big Y in front of the building
So that about sums up everything leftover at the site of the old Savings Institute. Thanks for tuning in, and be sure to check out my documentation of other locations in the Groton Shoppers Mart on my Flickr page (BrandHistoryUSA)
Until next time,
~RS
~RS
