FLORENCE - There are 29 banks operating branches in the Pee Dee - 18 in Florence County alone - all competing for a slice of a $3.6 billion pie.

According to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s annual Deposit Market Share Report, Wachovia bank had the lion's share of the Pee Dee bank deposits as of June 30. BB&T had the biggest share of the Florence County market, which accounts for about

half of the total banking business for the Pee Dee's seven counties.

The FDIC reported $3,660,363,000 in deposits being held in Pee Dee banks, and $1,846,963,000 in Florence County's banks. Wachovia had 17.43 percent of the Pee Dee market, with $637.9 million. First Citizens ranked second in the Pee Dee with $618.9 million in deposits, or 16.9 percent of the market.

But Florence County's rankings were different from the rest of the region. BB&T was ranked first in Florence County, with 22.48 percent of the market share. That's about $415 million. Wachovia was second with 20.39 percent of the market, and First Reliance Bank was the third largest bank in the county with 11.13 percent of the market's total deposits. First Reliance had $205 million in deposits as of June 30.

The competition for market share has really heated up for the Pee Dee during recent years, particularly in Florence County. Until six years ago, the top five banks were largely out-of-state banks. But the growth of smaller community banks, and the consolidation of some of the bigger banks has changed the banking landscape, with new branches entering the Florence market.

Six years ago, First Reliance didn't exist, but aggressive marketing of the bank as being locally owned and operated has helped the bank grow quickly. With two branches in Florence, First Reliance has begun to expand to other markets, including Mount Pleasant and Lexington.

Bigger banks are beginning to react to the aggressive growth of community banks in the area, said Lee Daugherty, vice president at First Reliance.

"I think it's changing things," Daugherty said. "I think you can see it in the bigger banks' marketing. They're forced to talk about how small they are to portray themselves as small town."

Other banks that once only had branches smaller towns in the Pee Dee have expanded to the Florence market, trying to get a sliver of the banking business.

Mullins-based Anderson Brothers Bank has 12 branches in Florence County, accounting for 1.51 percent of the market share. That might not sound like a large chunk, but it's worth $27.8 million in deposits in Florence County alone.

Anderson Brothers accounted for 5.05 percent of the total Pee Dee deposit market share, worth $184 million.

Florence County has as many bank companies operating within its borders as Charleston does, so banks are beginning to look at unconventional ways to attract customers.

First Reliance offers a change-counting machine in the lobby of its main branch, which is available to anyone free of charge.

Banks also are changing the meaning of the term "bankers' hours," offering Saturday service, and even a departure from the old 9-to-5 operating hours.

First Reliance began opening from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. this year, something unthought of in the banking industry 10 years ago, and many other area banks are toying with the idea of expanded hours.