Traditions Bank has announced it is coming to Clarkesville. The announcement came from Rabun County Bank Co-Chief Executive Officer Melanie Silvestri in a press release.
“Claude Dillard, President and COO of Rabun County Bank, is excited to announce the banks’ entrance into the Clarkesville market,” the release states.
“The Stoney’s corner has long been a place for locals to gather and create community. Our Bank is honored to continue that tradition with the expansion of our Traditions Bank brand into the Clarkesville market,” says Dillard.
Traditions Bank has operated a branch on Cannon Bridge Road in Cornelia for nearly 25 years.
Making room
Traditions Bank purchased the restaurant building from its owners after the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) bought the land it needed for the roundabout. The bank also purchased adjoining tracts so it would have enough room to build.
Crews removed seven older structures from those tracts to make way for the new bank branch and parking lot.
Once GDOT determined it would install a roundabout at the four-way stop where GA 197 North and SR 17 intersect, it became clear Stoney’s would not survive at that location. GDOT’s plan would have impacted the restaurant’s drive-thru and would have required Stoney’s to give up its front sidewalk and part of its parking lot.
The transportation department decided to forge ahead with the plan despite strong opposition.
In 2021, GDOT conducted an online survey about its proposal for a roundabout in Clarkesville. Of the nearly 600 people who responded, 69% said they opposed the plan while 22% said they supported it. Others said they might support it under certain conditions.
The restaurant’s owners hired lawyers to handle negotiations with the state. On August 22, 2023, Stoney’s closed its doors after 58 years.
Traditions Bank is offering few details at this time about its plans for the Clarkesville location but is expected to release more information in the coming months.
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