Wachovia has nailed down the date that it will morph into Wells Fargo: Saturday, October 15.
Wachovia, which was acquired by San Francisco-based Wells Fargo at the end of 2008, announced three months ago that the Wachovia name would ride off into the sunset on a weekend in October. But it didn't name a specific date.
Wachovia branches that have Saturday hours will unveil new signs with the red-and-gold Wells Fargo logo on the 15th. All of the bank's 317 North Carolina branches will open as Wells Fargo the following Monday.
All the new Wells Fargo signs are set to be installed before then, but they will be covered with a Wachovia logo that can be peeled off when it's time for the switch.
The branches also are switching to Wells Fargo's software systems, a move that has gone smoothly elsewhere.
North Carolina, which was home base for Charlotte-based Wachovia, is the last of the states where Wachovia operated to adopt the Wells Fargo brand. It's a brand that dates back to 1852.
Wells Fargo/Wachovia has mroe than 9,000 branches in 39 states plus Washington, D.C., more than any other bank.
David Ranii has been a business reporter at The News & Observer since 1993. Over the years he has covered information technology, banking, insurance, the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, media businesses and real estate. Contact him at 919-829-4877 or 
