Sometime in May, the $140 million Hope Federal Credit Union willpick up where a bank left off – opening a branch in Utica, Miss. arural community of 900 that lost services to an industry pullbackin 2011.

In this case, Hope FCU, a Jackson-based community developmentcredit union, is refurbishing the site of a former BancorpSouthbranch, one of 23 abruptly closed last year by the Tupelo bank asunprofitable.

“We've already had good reception from the community and we feelwe can be successful,” said William Bynum, president/CEO of HopeFCU which has branches in Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas andTennessee.

Bynum said Utica, southwest of Jackson in Hinds County, remains“a solid community with a strong customer base.”

There are no current plans for Hope to seek out any of the otherdormant BancorpSouth branches in other small Mississippicommunities.

BancorpSouth closed the branches last May, saying it was notdoing enough business to support routine expenses much lessgrow.

“It is a fact,” said Bynum, “that Mississippi as well asportions of Arkansas and Tennessee remain the most unbanked areasof the nation.”

Bynum also noted thatHope has managed to profit from other large banks leaving thearea, including receiving donated property from Birmingham,Ala.-based Regions Bank.