First Bank locations on Market Street and Chesterfield Highway opened their doors Aug. 18 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of their corporation.

The banks held a Customer Appreciation Day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for customers in the local community, offering up hot dogs, hamburgers and cake to celebrate the people that keep their business running.

Both banks also held drawing for door prizes and gift certificates for local restaurants.

Market Street branch manager Virginia Perkins said that the customer appreciation day was planned to let First Bank’s customers know how much their business means to them.

“Every branch at First Bank in the next two weeks will have a Customer Appreciation Day,” Perkins said. “We’ve been in business for 75 years and we’ve won several awards for being a very sound community bank. We wanted to let our customers know how stable we are in this economy. We want them to have as much confidence and faith in us as we have in our customers.”

Perkins said that both of the Cheraw locations were providing a cookout and gift bags for children.

“We had drawings for door prizes for local restaurants, we gave gift bags for children and hot dogs and hamburgers for lunch,” she said. “This morning we had a big breakfast of homemade muffins and juice and later on we had a celebration cake.”

At First Bank’s location on Chesterfield Highway, branch manager Kellie Joyner said that their customers truly helped First Bank become a strong community leader.

“This is our 75th year so we wanted to give back to the community,” Joyner said. “We are a community bank and we want to show that and give back to the customers that make us.”

First Bank customer Alice Coleman enjoyed hot dogs and hamburgers with her family at the First Bank location on Market Street and was pleased with the celebration.

“This is a very nice thing and there are always such nice people here. Everyone is friendly and I think it’s a great thing that they are having this customer appreciation day for us. The food was amazing.”

As customers piled into the bank, Perkins was awed at the turnout and said that the customers make her job possible.

“We value our customers,” Perkins said. “Without them, we wouldn’t have anything to celebrate really. Without our customers, there would be no celebration.”