ROCK HILL After the close of business today, Dan Tate and his staff in the Wachovia branch on Celanese Road will clear out old brochures, hang up fresh Wells Fargo posters and fortify themselves with pizza ahead of a big weekend.

On Saturday, the Wells Fargo conversion comes home to the Carolinas when blue-and-green Wachovia signs in South Carolina are officially swapped for red-and-yellow ones. When Tate's branch opens at 9 a.m., tellers will be working under a new name, using new computer systems and pitching a new lineup of products.

"It's three years in the works," Tate said. "We're ready to move forward."

The S.C. changeover, which touches 148 branches and about 1,600 signs, is the ninth of 10 conversions staged by San Francisco-based Wells, which agreed to buy Charlotte's Wachovia as it verged on collapse in the 2008 financial crisis. Maryland and the District of Columbia also make the switch this weekend.

North Carolina, Wachovia's home state since 1879, caps the transition Oct. 15.

In the Charlotte area, nine branches in York and Lancaster counties will convert this weekend, followed by 80 more in North Carolina next month. S.C. branches that aren't open on Saturday make their official Wells Fargo debut on Monday.

In South Carolina, tellers and bankers have been training and practicing since May. They've learned new systems in a classroom in the main Rock Hill branch and stayed late at their own branch for practice sessions. Just in case, Wells veterans from around the country, known as "buddy bankers," will be on hand if extra help is needed.

For customers, the change shouldn't be too dramatic. Employees stay the same, as do account numbers. Old Wachovia checks can be used until it's time to reorder. Online banking customers in South Carolina will have to create new logins starting Saturday. The bank's toll-free number flips to 800-TO-WELLS.

Most customers will continue to use their current debit cards until they expire, although less than 1 percent received new cards in the mail. Customers need to activate these cards to begin using them. This summer, some customers in Florida didn't take this step and found themselves out of luck when they went to make payments.

Over the weekend, S.C. customers will have limited online and mobile access to their accounts while information is transferred to Wells Fargo's systems, according to materials sent to customers. After the switch, customers will have access to information about prior account activity but only in the form of monthly statements.

The change means new product names and some adjustments to account features. Wachovia customers have already noticed some changes in fees under Wells Fargo. For example, some accounts that used to waive ATM fees no longer do. Customers who already have Wachovia free checking accounts can keep them, but they won't be available to new customers.

During a merger conversion, customers need to watch for changes in bank policies and requirements, such as minimum balances, said Greg McBride, senior financial analyst at research firm Bankrate.com. It's always a good idea for customers to take stock of their banking, investment and insurance services about once a year, he said.

When things change in a merger, "it's a good opportunity to look around and see if you're getting the best deal," McBride said.

Tate, the store manager, said his staff has found the new Wells systems easy to use, and he expects customers will feel little impact from the change. They may notice new sales pitches, however, from tellers and bankers. That's because the Wells system prompts staff members with customized suggestions. Wells is known for its penchant for "cross-selling" multiple products to customers and even calls its branches "stores."

After stopping by the Celanese location Thursday, customer Cynde Marshall said she was hoping for an easy transition. As an active online banking user, she said she had already started reading up on how to log into the new website.

"I've always been happy at Wachovia," she said. "I hope that continues."