Aquesta Bank’s new branch office in Wilmington is now open.

The location – Cornelius, North Carolina-based Aquesta’s first branch outside its metro Charlotte base – opened its doors June 13, according to Laura Engel, the bank’s marketing executive.

In January, bank officials announced Aquesta’s purchase of the former Gateway Bank Mortgage building at 901 Military Cutoff Road and the bank’s intention to expand into Wilmington with a full-service branch.

“We have an insurance agency in Wilmington; that’s how we got into that market,” Engel said recently. “We’ve also had lenders down there for more than a year. Then we got the opportunity to purchase this [Gateway] building.”

Engel said Aquesta’s two lenders have been very successful in Wilmington. 

“The market fits our demographic, which is high-growth areas. And the new office is in a great location,” she said.

Jennifer Merritt is the Wilmington branch manager. The bank’s two commercial lenders are Rick Hunt and David Kesler. 

Aquesta’s other locations are in Davidson, Huntersville, Cornelius, Mooresville and Charlotte.