A business strategy for Dime at time was to expansion was to be via an acquisition either by Dime at the time was to expand its business beyond the New York City metropolitan area. This expansion was to be via an acquisition either by Dime or by acquisition of Dime by a larger company. The latter occurred in 2002 when Washington Mutual acquired Dime. A few years later Washington Mutual unfortunately experienced serious business problems and was gobbled up by bigger players.Perhaps if it had adopted more of Dime's culture, leadership and ways of doing business it would have survived.