Larry Wexler went to his local bank in St. Paul’s Highland Park on Wednesday morning to make a cash withdrawal, only to discover a sign on the door indicating the bank was temporarily closed, with no other information posted. Highland Bank’s website was of no more help, and phone calls to that and other branches ended in a kind of silent limbo, with no evidence of ringing.

“The phone call didn’t even go through to the point where it was either ringing or refused,” Wexler said. “It just sat there for a while and then stopped.”

Wexler returned to Highland Bank on Thursday, and was informed that a technology issue had impacted multiple branches this week. Things were back and up and running, to a point. He was able to make his cash withdrawal the old-fashioned way — from a bank teller — who issued him a hand-written receipt.

On Friday, aspects of the Highland Bank website were still offline, and there was still no public-facing explanation on its social media accounts.

“The Highland bank website is down, phones at all branches are not being answered, and the Ford Pkwy and Bloomington offices are locked,” wrote a customer on Facebook on Thursday. “Not a good look. I would appreciate some info on what is happening.”

A reporter’s efforts this week to reach a bank spokesperson were unsuccessful.

Established in 1943, the privately held community bank maintains eight branches in Minnesota, including Blaine, Bloomington, Ely, Maple Grove, Minnetonka, St. Paul and Woodbury, with corporate offices in St. Michael.

It acquired Boundary Waters Bank in August 2022, absorbing its Blaine, Ely and Woodbury locations and about $100 million in assets. As of late 2022, Highland Bank held approximately $750 million in assets.

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