FM Bank opens new riverside downtown building, anchors local activity
FM Bank held an open house December 3 for its new downtown Fergus Falls building after about 18 months of construction, moving full operations to the site on November 24. The riverside facility houses FM Bank along with Cally's Café and Coffee and Ryan Hanson Homes, offering community space and a drive through that officials say will help keep activity in the downtown core.
FM Bank marked the opening of its new downtown Fergus Falls building with an open house on December 3, capping roughly 18 months of construction and a phased move of services that began on November 24. The riverside facility consolidates banking operations under one roof while adding retail and office neighbors, signaling fresh investment in the downtown corridor.
The building will host Cally's Café and Coffee and Ryan Hanson Homes alongside FM Bank. Cally's plans to open in the new location on December 15, providing additional reasons for foot traffic in the area. FM Bank President Scott Debrito said staff and customers are excited about the move, and the bank emphasized its intent to keep activity downtown by providing both community facing space and a drive through at the new site.
For local residents and businesses the immediate impacts are practical and tangible. A bank branch with a drive through improves access for customers who prefer in person transactions or need quick banking services during commutes. The addition of a café will create spillover customers for nearby retailers and restaurants, and office tenants such as Ryan Hanson Homes bring weekday occupancy that supports surrounding businesses. The staged timeline from November 24 start of service to the December open house suggests a deliberate effort to minimize service disruption while ramping up public access.
On a broader economic level the project represents private investment in downtown Fergus Falls at a time when many commercial districts are seeking anchors that draw consistent traffic. Construction work over the past year and a half also generated local contracting activity, and the new community space creates opportunities for meetings, outreach and small events that can further knit the downtown economy together.
Longer term, maintaining a full service bank presence downtown supports property values, business confidence and the municipal tax base. As Cally's opens mid December and tenants settle in, downtown leaders will be watching indicators such as pedestrian counts, parking use and sales at nearby businesses to gauge whether the new building boosts sustained economic activity.
