COFFEE, SCULPTURES AND FINANCIAL ADVICE. BANKS TRY TO MAKE NEW BRANCHES LESS INTIMIDATING

It's like Sephora or Starbucks now offered a checking account.

After years of closing or mostly neglecting physical bank branches across the U.S., the nation's largest banks are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on refurbishing old locations or building new ones, and in the process changing the look, feel and purpose of the local bank branch.

Many of these branches are larger, airier, and meant to feel more comfortable for those walking in with difficult financial questions. Others are being designed as "third spaces" to allow local nonprofits or community representatives to hold workshops or seminars for customers or neighbors. They are a contrast to the marble-clad temples to finance built 50 or 75 years ago and the stale cookie-cutter branches that more recently cluttered suburban malls.

"Coming into a branch can be intimidating. We're now creating these spaces so everyone can feel welcome," said Diedra Porché, the head of community and business development of consumer banking at JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Porche heads a team of 150 employees who work at what JPMorgan now calls "community centers," which are larger branches that have areas for non-profits to do presentations to local residents and provide workshops to those seeking advice. The latest of these community centers opened in The Bronx in April, attended by New York local and state politicians as well as JPMorgan Chairman and CEO, Jamie Dimon.

JPMorgan isn't alone in designing branches that are focused less on sales and more on providing advice. Capital One opened its latest "café" in Union Square in May, a space that serves coffee and baked goods and allows anyone, Capital One customer or not, to sit inside the café and work and network.