FEBRUARY 19, 2002

People's Brings Seven-Day Banking
To Leetes Island Super Stop & Shop

BRANFORD, CONN.
People's Bank is bringing the convenience of seven-day full-service banking to Branford by opening its newest office in the newly remodeled Leetes Island Super Stop & Shop, 22 Leetes Island Road. Local dignitaries have been invited to attend a grand opening scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 28, at 9 a.m.

The new office complements the People's branch located at 500 East Main St.

''We recognize that for many of our customers, 'banker's hours' no longer fit into their busy schedules,'' said Robert R. D'Amore, People's executive vice president, Marketing and Regional Banking. ''We've built and staffed our supermarket branches to provide all of the services -- and the level of service -- that our customers expect from our traditional branches. Based on the success of our other Stop & Shop offices, we believe our customers truly appreciate the convenience of seven-day-a-week banking.''

The public is invited to come to the grand opening and learn about People's grand-opening specials -- an offer of free checking for six months plus 50 free checks and an offer of a $10 Stop & Shop coupon.

Additionally, at the grand opening, Branch Manager Sarah Charlow will announce a corporate donation that will benefit the Branford community.

People's brought supermarket banking to Connecticut, opening an office in Grand Union of Westport in 1980. In 1995, People's entered into an exclusive partnership with the Stop & Shop Supermarket Company that has resulted in a total of 59 branches in Connecticut Super Stop & Shop stores, with additional branch openings to be announced this year.

The Leetes Island Stop & Shop office will be open seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays.

People's (peoples.com) is a diversified financial services company providing commercial, consumer, insurance and investment services. Founded in 1842, it is the largest state-chartered bank in Connecticut with managed assets of $14 billion, 150 branches and 220 ATMs. People's is a leader in consumer and commercial banking, residential lending, insurance sales, supermarket banking and is the nation's 15th-largest issuer of MasterCard and Visa credit cards. People's subsidiaries offer brokerage services, asset management, equipment financing and leasing, and insurance services.