The Gesa Credit Union branch in north Richland will be closing permanently Oct. 31.

Gesa reports that the 808 Dalton St. branch is “underutilized” and its “transaction volumes are low” compared to other locations in the Tri-Cities.

As a nonprofit cooperative, the credit union determined it wasn’t a good use of members’ resources to keep the office open, said Senior Vice President Richard Waddle.

Gesa officials also said the Dalton Street location, near University Drive just off of the bypass highway, is generally not the sole branch used by members, and they expect neighboring branches to easily absorb the members after it closure. The next closest branches are on Goethals Drive in Richland and Paradise Way in West Richland.

The four employees who work at the Dalton Street branch will be transferred to other branches, resulting in no job losses.

The Dalton Street branch opened in summer 2013. Gesa leased the building.

Gesa expects minimal impact to its members with the branch closure and removal of the ATM. No safety deposit boxes need to be relocated.

Gesa operates nine branches in the Tri-Cities, including the Dalton Street location, with two other Richland locations, including one on Duportail Street and the headquarters on West Gage Boulevard in south Richland. The four remaining locations are split between Kennewick and Pasco.

Waddle said the credit union has seen a high adoption of mobile, online and telephone banking, which has led to fewer people walking into branches for their transaction needs.

It’s a modern change for the credit union that touts it “started in a shoebox.”

Members of the General Electric Supervisor’s Association formed GESA Federal Credit Union in 1953, with its first account receipts kept in a shoebox, according to its website.

Created with the intent of solely serving salaried employees of General Electric, it eventually changed its name to Gesa Credit Union and converted to a community-charted credit union in 1996.

Now serving anyone in Washington, Gesa operates 17 member service centers, including the Dalton Street location, throughout central and Eastern Washington.

Members with questions about the closure are invited to call Gesa at 888-946-4372.