BELL BANK PLANS SECOND DULUTH LOCATION

A new(ish)-to-the-market bank is planning a second branch location in Duluth.

Bell Bank is planning to construct a new location on the north side of W Arrowhead Road on what today is a vacant site next door to McCoy Construction & Forestry.

The new 4,000 square foot freestanding building will house a full-service branch which will offer several different services and will also include a drive through with three lanes. A surface parking lot with nearly 17 parking spaces will surround the new building. Designed by LHB, the exterior of the new building will sport a modern design and will be clad in brick, metal paneling, and glazing.

Bell Bank entered the Duluth market in 2020 when they opened a flagship location in Downtown Duluth in the historic Temple Opera building which is located at 201 E. Superior Street. The second Duluth location is meant to serve the population over the hill and in the surrounding areas of Duluth. It is likely that the company will construct additional locations within the Twin Ports in the future.

Bell Bank is based out of Fargo, North Dakota and currently has over 20 full-service locations in North Dakota, Minnesota, and Arizona. The company also has mortgage locations in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Kansas, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, North Dakota, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

One unique aspect of Bell Bank is its “Pay It Forward” program. The company gives each full-time employee $1,000 and each part-time employee $500 each year to give to people and organizations in need. To date, the company has donated nearly $24 million. Last year the company also launched a “Big Blue Bus” which brings banking, mortgage, and financial planning resources to neighborhoods throughout the company’s geographical area.

FUTURE SITE PLANS

While Bell Bank’s branch will be the first new building constructed on the W Arrowhead Road property, it is not anticipated to be the last. Another retail building is planned for the remaining portion of the site. The new building will cover 7,000 square foot and is planned to house two tenants, one of which would be a restaurant with a drive through.

The area in which Bell Bank will open its new branch is seeing quite a bit of new development. The site is directly across the street from a large mixed-use site that is currently being developed by Lotus Realty Group. Kwik Trip opened a new location on the site last year and in the next few years the Duluth Gospel Tabernacle plans to construct a new church. In addition, a portion of the site could be developed into a commercial building and a medical building or a multi-story multifamily residential building. A residential development called “Harbor Light” is also planned for a portion of the site that sits below the new church along Marble Street. That development is planned to include nine single-family homes and 16 townhome units.

Bell Branch anticipates to open its new Duluth branch at 3501 W Arrowhead Road in Fall 2023.