It's taken a while, but would-be villa buyers have a new option to help finance their island dreams.
Merchant's Commercial Bank has opened its doors on the second floor of the Greenleaf Shopping Center, along the South Shore road and near the Westin. It's been operating on St. Thomas for more than a year.
MCB's Web site says it is a "FDIC insured, boutique commercial bank bringing state-of-the-art Internet and traditional banking services to the Virgin Islands community."
The bank's primary focus is to work with small businesses, but it also offers personal services including residential mortgages. personal loans and credit cards.
The bank's Board of Directors includes long-time VI residents. One of them is Steve Simon, founder and produce3r of the world-renowned St. John Blues Festival. (A personal note - the Inquiring Iguana knows Steve - he's a neighbor at Blue Tang - and he's a cool guy.)