Torey Thompson, City Executive of our new Rocky Mount branch office.

As a child Torey Thompson remembers downtown Rocky Mount, North Carolina as the heart of his community. City government, banks, department stores and family-owned businesses occupied the ornate buildings along Main Street. In his teenage years, the department stores moved to a new mall across town; banks and other stores soon followed. By the time Torey left for college, activity in the downtown area had declined.

But today Rocky Mount’s downtown is on the upswing again. On January 3, Self-Help opened a new branch office on Rocky Mount’s Main Street, and Torey has moved back home too. After graduating from Tennessee Wesleyan and gaining years of experience in financial services, Torey is now the City Executive for Self-Help.

“There are many needs in this area, and there is great potential for economic development,” Torey said. “Self-Help is ready to serve Rocky Mount and increase opportunities for individuals, families and businesses.”

In 2002 Self-Help purchased a building once owned and occupied by People’s Bank. The building, located on the corner of Main and Tarboro streets, had been vacant for many years. After a two-year renovation completed in 2006, the building was renamed the Self-Help Center. Self-Help leases the offices and large spaces to non-profits and small businesses and recently opened a branch of the Self-Help Credit Union on the first floor. This was one of the first recent renovations in downtown Rocky Mount, helping to encourage other investments.

The new branch won’t have a teller line, but an ATM will be available 24/7 for cash and deposits. Staff will be available for all other banking services including savings, checking and money market accounts as well as personal, auto and home loans. Self-Help is looking forward to being a part of the continued growth of downtown Rocky Mount and the surrounding community.