The Harbor Bank of Maryland, a large minority-owned bank based in Baltimore, saw an opportunity to fill out its geographic footprint while increasing the access to banking facilities in inner-city Baltimore. In 1996, The Harbor Bank partnered with Stop, Shop and Save, one of the largest minority-owned supermarket chains on the East Coast by placing Harbor Bank ATMs in 11 markets around the Baltimore area.

The new locations offered The Harbor Bank the advantage of increasing its visibility by positioning ATMs in locations where The Harbor Bank did not have branches, and providing a new revenue stream from non-customer ATM transaction fees. In addition to the ATMs achieving profitability, Harbor Bank has gained new customers in the community and increased revenue from ATM fees about 20%.

Through the partnership, Stop, Shop and Save can now compete more effectively with larger chains who offer ATM/banking services in their stores. The ATM machines also help generate additional foot traffic in the markets.

Based on the success of this partnership, The Harbor Bank is currently expanding ATM placement into inner-city convenience stores and food service outlets.

Harbor Banks success story is featured in the new book, “Untapped: Creating Value in Undeserved Markets,” authored by John Wesier, a founding partner at the firm Brody Weiser Burns; Michele Kahane, Director of Special Projects at The Center for Corporate Citizenship at Boston College (CCCBC); Steve Rochlin, Director of Research and Policy Development at the CCCBC; and Jessica Landis, a Research Consultant at the CCCBC. "Untapped" was recently named to the Harvard Business Review Reading List for 2006. Visit www.untappedbook.com for more information and Berrett-Koehler Publishers to purchase your copy of this book.

For more information, please contact Michelle Brown at The Harbor Bank (410) 528-1800.

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