Keystone Federal Credit Union Opens Fourth Branch in Scranton

Keystone Federal Credit Union has opened its fourth Northeastern Pennsylvania branch on the edge of downtown Scranton, a move executives say reflects renewed confidence in the region's small manufacturing base.

"We're seeing loan applications from machine shops and logistics firms that spent the last decade just trying to survive," said the credit union's regional lending director. "Now they're asking for equipment financing, not bridge loans."

The 4,200-square-foot branch adds twenty jobs and includes a small-business resource center offering free consultations on lines of credit and equipment leasing. Membership in the credit union, open to residents across Lackawanna County, has grown 9 percent over the past year.

Local officials point to the branch as a signal that lenders are willing to commit physical infrastructure to the area rather than serve it remotely from Philadelphia or New York. The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce says at least three other regional banks have inquired about available storefronts within a half-mile of the new location.

Construction on a similar branch in Wilkes-Barre is expected to begin later this year, pending final zoning approval from Luzerne County.