FDIC Insured – Backed by the full faith and credit of the US Government
For nearly 150 years, Mechanics Cooperative Bank has been proud to call Southeastern Massachusetts home. Throughout these years, we have remained committed to a simple idea: when a bank understands the people and communities it serves, it can make a meaningful difference in their financial lives. That belief has guided us through generations of change, helping us grow while staying true to the local roots and personal service that have defined Mechanics from the very beginning.
Today, we continue that tradition with nine local branches serving communities throughout the Southcoast and surrounding areas. While banking has changed dramatically since our doors first opened, our commitment to our customers and our communities has not.
A History Built on Helping People Save, Grow, and Succeed
Mechanics Cooperative Bank was founded on September 14, 1877, when our members received a charter for what was originally known as the “Mechanics Co-operative Savings Fund and Loan Association.” We were the fifth organization of our kind established in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
From the start, our purpose was rooted in helping people build stronger financial futures. Early on, our institution encouraged systematic saving and provided access to loans that could help people achieve homeownership and other important financial goals.
Our history is filled with changes in the way we operate, the people who have led us and the communities we serve. But the principles behind our founding remain remarkably consistent. For generations, our customers have trusted us to help them save, borrow, buy homes and grow their businesses.
Growing Our Reach Without Losing Our Roots
Today, our branches serve customers throughout Southeastern Massachusetts and the surrounding communities, with our normal market area centered around Taunton and Fall River and extending into surrounding markets in Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
From Taunton and Fall River to Bridgewater, New Bedford and the communities in between, our branches give customers convenient access to the people and services of a local community bank.
But being local means more than simply having branches nearby. It means understanding the communities around us. It means knowing that every customer has different goals, challenges and dreams. And it means being here not only when someone needs a mortgage, business loan or savings account, but throughout the many financial moments that make up a lifetime.
Let’s Keep It Local!®
For us, “Let’s Keep it Local! ®” is more than a tagline. It is a philosophy that reflects who we are and how we believe banking can strengthen a community. We believe local decisions create local impact. When you support a local business, volunteer in your community, participate in a school fundraiser or choose a community-focused financial institution, you help keep resources circulating close to home. That philosophy is at the heart of Mechanics Cooperative Bank.
Our team members live and work in the communities we serve. Many of our leaders grew up in the same neighborhoods where they now work, giving them a firsthand understanding of the value of local relationships and local banking. The “Let’s Keep it Local!” movement was created more than a decade ago as a commitment to building a modern banking experience that remains personal, responsive and deeply connected to the community. We’re local like a lobster roll, bridge traffic on Cape Cod, or stuffed quahogs.
A Community Bank for Every Generation
The financial goals of our customers today may look different from those of the customers who walked through our doors in the late 1800s. We now offer modern banking tools, digital banking and mobile deposit alongside personal service at our local branches. We provide solutions for personal banking, business banking, mortgages, home equity, consumer lending and financial planning.
But the purpose remains the same: helping our customers save, achieve homeownership, build businesses and pursue their financial goals.
Looking Ahead, Together
When you have been part of a community for nearly 150 years, you understand that a strong future is something we build together. Our story is not simply about how Mechanics Cooperative Bank has grown. It is about the customers, families, businesses, employees and communities that have grown alongside us.
From our first days as a cooperative savings institution in 1877 to our nine-branch network today, we have remained committed to the same fundamental belief: local banking matters. As we look toward the future, we are proud to continue serving the communities that. Because after 149 years, we know that keeping it local isn’t just where we bank. It’s how we build stronger communities together.