Coconut Grove Bank's Lynn Cambest enjoys lunch during food truck Friday outside its headquarters.

While banking customers around the country are grumbling about fees and loan problems, one local bank is helping people satisfy their grumbling tummies.

Coconut Grove Bank    held a food truck event at its headquarter sat 2701 S. Bayshore Drive on Oct. 14 with four trucks stationing in its parking lot for two and a half hours. It was such a hit that the bank plans to hold it every Friday starting at 11:30.

Four food trucks visited Coconut Grove Bank.

Banks aren’t usually places people go for fun, especially during Friday lunch hour, but the mood looked pretty lively around Coconut Grove Bank thanks to Ms. Cheezious, Mr. Good Stuff, The Health Nut and Wrap It Up.

“The amount of traffic into bank branches is low, primarily due to the internet,” said Coconut Grove Bank marketing director Christine Woll, who thought up its food truck Fridays. “This is one way to meet more individuals within walking distance of our branches. Food trucks are really popular at the moment, especially with young professionals.”

Woll promoted the event through Facebook and email while the food trucks told their followers to come on by. The bank got a good turnout and met some new customers, said Coconut Grove Bank Executive VP, CFO and Treasurer Lynn Cambest. He met some accountants and attorneys from nearby offices.

Coconut Grove Bank is in position to lend after raising capital earlier this year.

“This is a good way for us to begin to broaden our client base as we deploy that new capital,” Cambest said. “We intend to be more proactive as time goes on in reaching out to people who attend, especially people who come back who weren’t already customers of the bank.”

Cambest also said it should help other businesses in Coconut Grove because the food trucks draw on customers throughout the area that follow them around.

Maybe the big banks should send food trucks to the Occupy Wall Street protesters. If there’s one thing that can bring bankers and the economically disenfranchised together, it’s a cheesy meal.

http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/blog/2011/10/food-trucks-converge-on-bank.html