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The Money Pot

Posted by on April 15, 2019 at 8:33 pm

Thanks in part to Scotts Miracle-Gro, the payments industry might—might—soon be able to play ball with locally legal cannabis industries. It’s that part about “locally legal” that until now has proved the problem. Thirty-three states and Washington D.C. have decriminalized cannabis for medical or recreational purposes, but the federal government hasn’t. CreditCards.com summed up the dilemma this […]

Creatively repurposed bank buildings

Posted by on April 8, 2019 at 8:00 am

Last week nostalgia swept over me as I stepped inside an architectural masterpiece. An elegant survivor from banking’s bygone era of marble and polished brass, the entire building suggested strength, security, and longevity, all needful symbols for the early 20th century when people weren’t too sure about their banks. I pulled open the massive double doors suspended […]

FinTech lending on the rise

Posted by on April 2, 2019 at 4:41 pm

There was a time when applying for a loan meant sitting on a hard, wooden chair across the desk from a stern-faced banker, nervously clutching your derby, kneading the brim with your fists, and trying to look like a good risk. Not much has changed except for, well, all of the above. You can apply […]

Kroger: VISA credit card
now welcome in even
fewer places

Posted by on March 25, 2019 at 7:00 am

If you tried using a Visa credit card at one of Foods Co.’s 19 California grocery stores lately, you’ll recall being told, politely I hope, “We don’t take that any more.”  But that’s old news. What’s new news is that the Visa credit card ban has just been extended to an additional 142 food stores and […]

Banning Cashlessness

Posted by on March 18, 2019 at 2:21 pm

As of July 1, cashless stores and restaurants in Philadelphia will be no more. Existing cashless businesses will not be grandfathered but required to revert. Outside of a few exceptions such as parking lots, hotels, and car rental agencies, the Philadelphia City Council has deemed cashless businesses discriminatory.  If you have a bank account, as […]