Goodwill Industries of the Valleys welcomes new partnerships for Melrose Plaza’s banking services and marketing. The partners were selected through Requests for Proposals. Goodwill is partnering with the Bank of Botetourt to provide banking services at a new branch that will be a part of the Plaza. Wallace360, a local marketing and creative agency, will establish Melrose Plaza’s new branding and help with strategic marketing and communications efforts prior to its opening. Melrose Plaza will also work with local artists, historians, educators, and Northwest small businesses to incorporate elements of Northwest history into the Plaza.
The Melrose Plaza initiative will contribute to the strength and resilience of Northwest Roanoke and is being driven by the needs of the community. In addition to banking services, Melrose Plaza will feature a full-service grocery store, an adult high school with free childcare, and a holistic community wellness center. The new Melrose Plaza will be located at the existing Goodwill Roanoke Jobs Campus.
Bank of Botetourt will provide the banking services element of the initiative through a retail-banking center that will be located within Melrose Plaza. Various products and services designed to fit the individual needs of customers will be available. The Bank also plans to provide access to financial literacy and coaching services to help improve financial wellness.
“Bank of Botetourt is excited to be an integral part of the Northwest community, and we are honored and look forward to providing banking and additional services in Melrose Plaza,” states Ned Honts, Executive Vice President, and Chief Lending Officer at Bank of Botetourt. “This partnership will deliver all the technology and services customers have grown to expect from a larger institution with personalized banking tailored to meet the needs of the Northwest community along with community services that will help improve the overall quality of life.”
In addition, Goodwill requested proposals to select a marketing firm to assist with the foundational branding and marketing for Melrose Plaza. Wallace360 will bring to life what Melrose Plaza is all about with meaningful branding that lays the foundation for a successful future.
“We applaud Goodwill for its innovation and leadership in this effort,” states Katie Wallace, Founder, and CEO of Wallace360. “We are proud to be working alongside the leaders at Goodwill and its community partners. We take a community-first approach to our work, so to us this is not just about building a brand or marketing a center and its resources but also about helping celebrate the community at the heart of the effort and honoring its rich history.”
“Goodwill is excited to partner with Bank of Botetourt, Wallace360, and other local businesses on the Melrose Plaza project,” states Zenith Barrett, Vice President of Business & Community Engagement for Goodwill Industries of the Valleys. “Securing these partners and the involvement of the community for the new center helps the project become one step closer to being a reality.”
The concept and design process for the Melrose Plaza site continues to develop with the space and needs for each of the service elements. The project, including the financial center, adult high school, grocery store, and wellness center, is expected to open by the end of 2024.
For more information on the project, visit www.goodwillvalleys.com/restore or email CommunityEngagement@goodwillvalleys.com.
