*Video by Alex Anderson - 4th Generation
The need for Anderson Brothers Bank
In 1933 the great depression was roaring. Businesses were shutting down, people were losing jobs, and families were losing homes. In rural South Carolina, The small tobacco town of Mullins was feeling the pinch. The city already lost its two banks and was struggling to find financing for its tobacco market. They turned to city banks in larger cities, like Charlotte, Wilmington, Columbia, and Florence, to no avail. Those banks were not interested in financing a small-town tobacco market.
Two Brothers answered the call. Ernest and Bishop Bonner Anderson stepped up when nobody else would. Initially operating in a small office in the back of Anderson warehouse, the two brothers financed Mullins tobacco market. Financing meant loaning money to the warehousemen, so they could issue checks to farmers immediately following the sale of tobacco. Warehouse loans were paid off as tobacco companies, such as Reynolds, American Imperial, etc., paid the warehouses several days or weeks later for the tobacco they had bought. The small office at the back of the warehouse turned into a depository and eventually moved to Main Street, across from the bank's present day main office in Mullins.
Ernest and Bishop Bonner not only saved the market but a small town as well. It was essential to merchants of Mullins that the farmers bring their tobacco into the city. It was a chain effect. The farmer’s families came to town too and patronized businesses during their visit. Saving the market was essential to the vitality of Mullins and the surrounding area.
Anderson Brothers Bank was opened with the idea of helping families and businesses in the community. Today our commitment to our customers and the communities we operate in remains unwavering and robust. Anderson Brothers Bank has built a reputation for helping individuals and families on the journey along life’s path. Community banking is not something to which we merely aspire. It is something we do day in and day out. While big banks continue to gobble up small banks, Anderson Brothers Bank remains family-owned. It is a place where employees know their customers by name. ABB has been dedicated to its employees, customers, communities, and shareholders from the beginning. This commitment is our culture, the foundation upon which our core values and mission are built.
Message from our CEO:
Hello ABB Friends!
Thank you for your interest in our 90th Anniversary!
It’s been my privilege to lead our bank as CEO for a third of our 90 years. I’ve come to greatly appreciate what makes us unique among other banks and how that benefits our customers and the communities we serve. As a family-owned bank, we are perfectly positioned to apply The Golden Rule, the most important of our five core values, in our treatment and service to our customers!
Today ABB is a top-performing bank with 25 branches and almost 400 employees. We credit our success to “The best bankers going the extra mile boosted by our proprietary business model.” We’ve been intentional in seeking and developing the best bankers who have elevated us to the top tier in financial performance and customer service. We aspire to “Make a Difference” in people’s lives by saving them thousands on their personal loans and “Make it Easy” for businesses and homebuyers by being responsive and urgent in meeting their needs.
Even as we celebrate our 90th anniversary, our sights are on our 100th in 2033. I’m excited to imagine where the best bankers will lead us in the next 10 years as we strive to fulfill our vision to be the bank which people love to work and do business with.
It’s a privilege to lead this organization, an honor to credit our employees, and a blessing to celebrate 90 years!
Ninety years: We were here for that!
Anderson Brothers Bank was started during one of the darkest times in American history. With the most humbling beginnings, it is just short of amazing that ABB made it to 90.
Ninety years it’s hard to conceptualize. Babe Ruth was still hitting home runs when Anderson Brothers Bank opened, and FDR was working on The New Deal.
We have grown to 25 branches stretching statewide touching communities in the Pee Dee, Grand Stand, and low country. Our beginning in the small office in the back of the warehouse would be proud.
Anderson Brothers Bank has seen young couples turn into grandparents. Lending support through each step of life, like new cars, purchasing a home, paying for college, and planning for retirement.
As we grew within the communities, watching our customers, friends, and neighbors grow, we witnessed our country’s history. We were here for that.
The Great Depression
War War II
The Space Race
A New Generation
Surviving the Storm
The World Wide Web
Y2K
The Digital Era
A New Normal
