Saint Louis University students will now have more than one choice for campus banking.

Commerce Bank has added three new ATMs to SLU’s campus rivaling the strong connection that Firstar Bank has held with the University since the opening of its banking center last spring.

The three new Commerce ATMs are located at the west entrance of Fusz Hall, the north entrance of Griesedieck Hall and on the lower level of Busch Memorial Center.

The SLU reception to Commerce has been wonderful, according to Mary Savacool of Commerce. The ATMs have been in the works for about three years and just recently were installed and opened for use.

Representatives of Commerce handed out giant pixie sticks in the BMC, the Quad 1 and by the Clock Tower yesterday. “It was a huge hit, just think how successful it would have been if we could have done our original promotion.”

Commerce Bank originally planned to do a promotion where random $20 bills in its three new ATMs were to be replaced by $50 bills. However, due to some legal rules, the promotion was cancelled last minute. “We were very sad that it didn’t work,” Savacool stated.

Savacool said that while there is no SLU location for Commerce bank, they are always anxious to open new accounts. “In January, we’ll be on campus to help open new accounts for students,” she continued.

Firstar Bank currently has four ATMs on SLU’s campus in addition to the Firstar banking center located in the BMC. Four new Firstar ATMs are in the works to open soon. With the new Commerce ATMs, members of the SLU community will have the option to utilize 11 different cash machines on campus.

No Firstar ATMs were replaced by Commerce ones. However, the Commerce and Firstar ATMs are placed side-by-side in the entrance to Fusz Hall.

Anyone with a valid ATM card can use the machines whether their account is with Firstar of Commerce. However, students are warned that using an ATM for another bank results in a service charge.

Students with a Firstar account who use a Commerce ATM will pay the fee of $1.50 per visit. “That’s pretty standard to cover the transaction cost,” Savacool said.

Crystal Riley-Stark of Firstar is not worried about the Commerce competition.

“We at Firstar consider ourselves the bank of Saint Louis University,” she said.

But SLU is not abandoning their Firstar connections. “We’re the official sponsor for SLU athletics,” Riley-Stark said. “We’re very proud of that.”

Although a SLU location of Commerce bank does not yet exist, there are five locations that members of the SLU community can utilize: the Tower Grove location at 3134 S. Grand Blvd., one on 6327 Chippewa St., the U. City Loop at 6630 Delmar Ave., 6383 Clayton Ave. and 4019 Choteau Ave.