By Eric Curl
June 17, 2025 – Queensborough National Bank & Trust Co. is planning to open a full-service bank at 402 E. Broughton St., according to Region President Michael English.
The bank recently submitted an application to demolish the existing structure, but options are still being considered for the building, English said in an email on Sunday.
“The existing structure has some limitations, so we are leaning towards building new,” he said. “We have been on East Broughton since 2015 as a downstairs tenant of the John Berrien house which the bank owned at one point, so this is a natural progression for us.”
The building dates back to 1966 and served as a car dealership until Southern Motors Acura dealership moved out in 2019. The Savannah Repertory Theater was the most recent occupant of the building after operating a black box theater at the site.
Queensborough acquired the building for more than $3.8 million in February, according to sales records.
Switchyards “Work Club” opening in former Picker Joe’s space
Switchyards is opening its 27th “neighborhood work club” at 217 E. 41st St. in the space previously occupied by Picker Joe’s Antique Mall.
The company’s “work clubs” provide 24/7 access to the space that is “distinctly separate from home and the office,” according to a press release. The work club will feature a cafe area for collaboration and meetings, plus a library designed for deep work and focus, in addition to phone booths and a meeting room – all bookable at no additional cost to members.
Switchyards Savannah is set to open to members on July 28, with memberships becoming available at 10 a.m. on July 24 at switchyards.com/savannah-ga. Only 250 memberships will be available and the last 11 clubs sold out in a day, according to the press release.
Meanwhile, Picker Joe’s is in the process of moving to a larger space at 66 W. Montgomery Crossroad on Savannah’s Southside.
New “Boutique” Goodwill opening next to downtown Kroger
Goodwill Southeast Georgia recently announced it will be opening a new retail location in the former Dollar General building at 800 Habersham St., across from the downtown Kroger.
The nonprofit will open what it is calling The Vault, what it describes as a “boutique experience.” The nonprofit is currently hiring and hosting on-the-spot interviews for the location on June 24 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 7220 Sallie Mood Drive, according to a Facebook post.
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During my childhood (we are talking the 50’s and 60’s)my father and business partner Samual Herman ran Hendrix Mattress Company at 217 E 41st, the site of Picker Joe’s/the incoming ‘Work Club”. My firs summer job, as a young teenager was unloading bed frames out of an un air conditioned 18 wheeler into the un air conditioned warehouse. The A&P grocery store – on the block facing Abercorn between 40th and 41st offered some relief when we took a break. The A&P later became Stonehenge disco in the 70’s. If my geography or dates are off, I’ll look forward to correction from those sharper memories. As always, I appreciate your work Eric. Thx Tom
Thanks Tom. I love hearing about Savannah’s past via its people and places.