DAYTON–Another local bank is undergoing change–this time by closing as it consolidates with another nearby branch. Washington Federal Bank, a successor to Bank of America and Seattle First National Bank (SeaFirst), at the corner of Main and 2nd for the past eight years, will close toward the end of July, bank officials informed the Dayton Chronicle this week.

"The primary reason," according to Doug Smithgall, Division Manager for Inland NW, located in Spokane, "is the shift in behavior of banking clients. Less and less people are going into branches to do transactions, and more and more are using online or mobile banking and ATMs. There is no need for as many physical locations as in the past.

"When the bank looks at locations," Smithgall continued, "especially those that are well supported–Dayton has four banks–it didn't make a lot of sense to have a physical location in the community."

Washington Federal, or WaFd Bank, as it is known, will cease operations at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, July 20, Smithgall said.

Bank customers' accounts will be consolidated with the branch at Main and Third Avenue in Walla Walla, Smithgall said. "We've been in contact through letters to customers," he said, "so they know about changes to things like safe deposit boxes."

Dayton Personal Banker Anna Snell will continue with WaFd Bank in the Walla Walla branch.

Washington Federal assumed operation of the bank when Bank of American pulled out of rural communities in about 2014 but retained branches in mor populous areas such as Spokane, the Tri-Cities and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.