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The tiny Mountain Gem Credit Union closed its Weiser branch Aug. 31, putting three of its 14 employees out of work.
The 60-year-old Nampa-based credit union, which has $18 million in assets, had opened the Weiser branch 13 years ago. There, it worked mainly in auto loans, with some mortgage financing.
The branch was a casualty of changes in the way that people seek auto loans, said CEO Cheri Schaafs. Until recently, auto purchasers went first to their bank or credit union to secure financing, and then to the dealership, Schaafs said. Now, they go to the dealership to...