June 3, 2021

This paid piece is sponsored by Interstate Office Products.

When it came time for American State Bank to build its next Sioux Falls location, the design inspiration came straight from the owner.

CEO Dale Den Herder leads an organization with roots that go back to 1913, when it was chartered as Hospers Savings Bank.

“It’s been very successful and once was more of a traditional look, but he is sensitive to the changing habits of people who use his bank, electronic or otherwise, and understands the changes in generations,” said Kevin Schmidt, interior designer from Iowa-based Tucket’s, who has worked with the company for the past 25 years.

“The first branch office is in Sioux Center, Iowa, and that became the inspiration for the new Sioux Falls building and all our new buildings. The owner wants an identifiable look, so he set the direction and told me and the architects what his vision was.”

Schmidt set out to accomplish it with longtime partner Interstate Office Products. He and designer Teena Hogan have worked together on multiple projects for Ambank Co., which consists of American Bank, American State Bank, American Investment & Trust and Perspective Insurance.

“In northwest Iowa, some of the locations served a more rural clientele, so we went a little more conservative, but when we did Sioux Center a few years ago, they wanted to step out and be more modern, so we upgraded and adjusted the furnishings a bit, which became the basis for the Sioux Falls building.”

The new location at 1201 E. Cliff Place, off South Cliff Avenue north of 85th Street, includes space for American State Bank, American Investment & Trust and Perspective Insurance.

“We use a lot of glass in our interior, so you can stand in the bank or in the insurance office and look directly into each other’s space,” Schmidt said. “And there’s continuity there and quality.”

The floor plan is designed with an open feel, “and in the center, we kept the panels very low with a lot of glass, so you can see into the offices, since those fronts are all glass as well,” Hogan said.

“And there’s a lot of glass in the exterior as well, so all the light gets filtered into the center of the space, and it becomes very open and inviting.”

The location is designed with the understanding that many customers prefer using a drive-thru to do business. But inside, there are strategically located spaces for customers to wait or conduct business.

Individual offices are furnished with the Steelcase Elective Elements line.

“The desks have an open framework to continue the airy feel, which supports a very clean, modern look,” Hogan said.

“We’re super happy with it,” said Ryan Mulder, Sioux Falls market president. “It turned out beautiful, and we’re happy to be here. It’s so open, and there’s so much nature around us that you can really enjoy it through the windows.”

The design delivered a good mix of open areas and privacy, he added.

“There’s lots of glass, so you can see everyone, but you still have the privacy you need to meet with customers. You walk in the front door, and you can see the teller stations, you can see account areas, you can see my office, and you’re greeted by lots of friendly faces. It’s really laid out well.”

The shared break area is designed to accomplish another of the owner’s goals, Schmidt said.

“His two goals are happy customers and happy employees, so he thoroughly enjoys giving them a nice break room. There’s just one table in there, and he likes people sitting together, so it’s designed with that in mind.”

There are comfortable chairs there selected to encourage people to spend time together.

“The nice thing about how we’ve done five or six projects together with Interstate Office Products is that we don’t always reinvent the wheel. We cast the vision for Teena, and she knows just where to find items,” Schmidt said.

“But we like to work on fabrics together, especially when it comes to seating. That’s where it gets really fun to bring art and color into the building. Our colors mostly are soft and neutral, so we really tried to use some bold coloring in the chairs to give it some punch.”

The relationship “works well,” he continued. “Interstate Office is a great place to walk into. They’re kind and gracious, and it’s a great organization. And the product is such quality, so we’re really thrilled with the long-term life of what we’ve purchased.”

The team has been working out of the new space for a few months, and “installation couldn’t have been smoother,” Schmidt added. “They have great people on the job site who are accommodating and nice. The furniture installers are very good ambassadors for Interstate.”

Employees easily settled into the new space, Mulder said.

“They love it. It’s beautiful. The office furniture is really nice. It’s new, it’s comfortable, the technology is excellent, and it’s just a really nice space where you can bank, borrow, invest and insure. We have a lot of customers who do it all – their investments, their insurance and their banking – and it’s really well-designed to tackle all three.”

Would you like to see the new location for yourself? A Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting will be at 4:30 p.m. Monday, June 7.