Three years after TD Bank closed in Richford, NorthCountry Federal Credit Union is looking to open by June.

RICHFORD — Three years after TD Bank closed in Richford, NorthCountry Federal Credit Union is looking to open by June. 

The credit union will be located in the historic Richford post office building next to the current United States Postal Office, in the space that was left vacant when the Franklin Northeast Supervisory Union moved out in January 2023. 

Richford Town Administrator Michael Olio said this is an exciting opportunity for Richford. “It’s going to be a major convenience for everybody,” he said. “We’ve talked to a lot of local businesses who say they don’t like traveling to Enosburg or other places for their banking needs because they have a lot of transactions throughout the day and that requires a daily commute.”

Olio said it also improves the walkability of Richford, which is important for residents who don’t have cars or are older and can’t easily travel to other towns for banking.

For older residents, Olio said it’s important to have a physical location for a bank rather than doing everything online. While younger generations may be able to use apps to bank, Richford’s aging population would benefit from bank tellers helping out. 

Luanne Cantor, NorthCountry senior vice president of retail, said the credit union only operates within Vermont, with 13 branches scattered across the northern half of the Green Mountain State. With no financial institution in Richford, she said they saw an opportunity to serve a group of people that need a local credit union.
“We were standing outside once, and people were walking by telling us they couldn’t wait until we got here, because right now they have to go to another town to get their financial services,” Cantor said.

The post office space previously used by the FNESU offices was a perfect fit for the credit union, as Cantor said they were looking for a small space without having to build something from scratch. “We’ll definitely be getting the word out when it gets closer so people can come see us when we’re open,” Cantor said.