SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The Bank of Montreal has moved uptown and is casting nary a glance back at its former downtown location.

BMO teller Benjamin Lynch takes a breather between customers. - Guy Quenneville/NNSL photo

"They don't miss the old place," Porteous said of her staff. "They don't care what happens to the branch downtown."

The bank moved to the corner of Range Lake Road and Old Airport Road on August 31. The new location features added office space, a drive-though ATM and a greeting desk.

Once the move was announced in July 2008, "We saw new accounts open before we moved here and a lot since we moved," said Porteous.

"Saturdays are really busy for opening up new accounts ... because we are (a) six-day branch now."

The bank has lost "maybe a couple" customers since the move, she added.

"We did expect that and it really hasn't affected us much," said Porteous.

"Some of them will say that, although they live out here, it's inconvenient because we don't have a bank machine downtown. But we couldn't keep one downtown because we'd have nobody to stock it and I couldn't put my staff at risk to go down and stock a machine like that."

Tiffany Robinson, a financial services co-ordinator, was hired by BMO in June and worked at the old Centre Square Mall location until the move.

"I walked to work at the old location," said Robinson. "Walking in those doors was kind of scary some mornings. It didn't bother me during the day, but in the morning I found it a little sketchy."

Of the new location is a lot nicer, she said, and "the smells are better."

The branch has grown considerably in size, going from 4,200 to 6,500 square feet.

"We didn't have proper offices," Porteous said of the mall location. "We had those little dividers where you didn't really have confidentiality when you're interviewing your customers. Here we've got enclosed offices. We only had two of those and how we have 17."

Privacy is king at the new BMO.

"In the old branch, we had a safety deposit box area that was just like a tiny cubicle where you could hardly turn around in it.

"In this branch, we actually have an enclosed, really private area for the clients."

The added space has required the bank to hire four new staff members, including Robinson, a few tellers and one financial services manager who helps clients open new accounts.

"Everything is new. I guess that's what's really nice about it. Just a lot more room," said Porteous.