Merry Christmas, Tightwad Bank

Ebenezer Scrooge, president of UMB Bank Warsaw, has announced the closing of Tightwad Bank, located in the small community of Tightwad, Missouri, located halfway between Clinton and Warsaw.

The smalltown bank drew $2.2 million in deposits from around the country because of its unusual name.

Mr. Scrooge is cutting costs and will close the bank January 31. He urged depositors to do their banking at his branches in Clinton and Warsaw.


Scott's Spot agrees with Tightwad resident Linda Houk. "I don't like it at all," said Houk. "I'm not sure I'll leave my accounts at UMB."

Two months after the Tightwad Bank opened in May 1984, an article on it appeared in The Kansas City Times. Word began to spread.

"We were discovered," said Gene Henry, a Clinton banker who helped open the Tightwad Bank. "People would just mail us a check, Tightwad Bank, Tightwad, Missouri, sometimes with no ZIP code, and the post office, to its credit, found us."

Up to a dozen checks would arrive daily, each with a note asking for an account and a batch of Tightwad Bank checks, Henry said. In two years, customers from near and far gave the bank $2.2 million in deposits.

I'd like to get myself some of those checks. Guess I'd better get my order in soon.