An old business is coming back to town.

Over this weekend PNC Financial Services Group is converting National City Bank branches to PNC Bank. Pittsburgh-based PNC bought National City last year.

This first wave of the conversion, which includes 1.8 million customers in the Northwestern Pennsylvania markets, Youngstown, Pittsburgh and Florida, will see 240 former National City branches become PNC Bank.

In the Northwestern Pennsylvania market 49 branches will see new signs spring up along with another 20 in the Youngstown, Boardman and Warren region.

This isn’t the first time PNC has been in town. The financial institution had a small foothold here in the early 90s but eventually sold those branches.

“We’re back, and we’re excited,’’ said Marlene D. Mosco, PNC Bank’s regional president based in Erie who oversees the 12-county area.

PNC has known for a year now that the conversion was coming and staffers have feverishly been working behind the scene to create a changeover that hopefully will come off without a hitch.

The hardest part of all this?

“The wait.’’ Mosco said.

One of PNC Bank‘s priorities was to ensure that National City’s front-line people remained in place.

“The people have been great,’’ Mosco said. “When customers go into the branches Monday morning they will see the same people as always. I think people are most concerned about people.’’

As for changes Mosco said she believes customers will feel the same as much of the product mix National City offered is also used by PNC Bank.

One change for PNC Bank is that it decided to use much of National City’s rewards program model throughout its system. Customers get reward points for using PNC Bank’s products which can be redeemed for such things as groceries, gas and gift cards.

The region will be able to take advantage of PNC’s $100 million program for schools called: PNC Grow Up Great. The funds tools and programs that can be used in a variety of educational arenas. An announcement of a donation in the Mercer County area is expected soon.