Georgia celebrates 50 years of filming and billions in investments. Locally, Augusta is also lighting up the silver screen. Mike Petchenik has more in today’s Biz Bits.
Editor’s note: As ABD reported last week, more than 25 restaurants have closed in the past year. It’s a tough business and the reasons vary for shutting the doors. Some had been opened for a year or two, and others like Villa Europa have been serving customers for 50 years. As we reported, they will close but are looking for a new location. There is now yet another restaurant scouting for a new place to call home. Munchie’s Lab served their last meal on Friday, September 15. Their closing date
Members of the North Augusta Chamber of Commerce heard updates ranging from the new public safety headquarters under construction to infrastructure projects on September 14. City Administrator, Jim Clifford was the guest speaker for the monthly “Good Morning, North Augusta” breakfast in the Palmetto Ballroom at the municipal building. Clifford began by running down a list of projects he believes make North Augusta attractive for residents and businesses. He pointed to the historic downtown and the “Live, Play Work” community that’s grown in Riverside Village. “We’re a very strong, growing
As someone who grew up in the food and beverage business, Tia Harville dreamed of opening a restaurant. Covid forced her to ditch that plan for another business that also runs in the family. “In 2014, my husband’s aunt and uncle, Cindy and Anthony Mask opened Town Square Olive Oil in Covington, Ga. The concept appealed to us because there is really nothing quite like it here and we thought it would be good for North Augusta,” Harville explained. She is correct. The businesses surrounding Town Square Olive Oil &
Not only is the local branch of a pet care company celebrating a milestone, but they’re exceeding the expectations of pet owners. Mike Petchenik tells us how in today’s edition of Biz Bits.
About 100 high school students from Georgia and South Carolina participated in the inaugural Cyber STEMfest at the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center. Students from nine high schools, including Lincoln County, Davidson, and North Augusta, along with a few home-schooled students, attended the Sept. 13 event. Todd Gay, director of Outreach and Engagement, said schools across the area, from K-12 through high schools, ask to visit the Cyber Center to learn what is offered, particularly when it comes to education and training. “That’s a big part of our mission,
Editor’s Note: Happy 27th birthday to a great friend of ABD, Kevin Hyatt! He is also approaching his first anniversary in business and has taken the CSRA by storm with his initiative to help people save money on their insurance… Including many ABD members, who provided testimonials below. Kevin Hyatt is a walking (and stationary) billboard for his Hyatt Agency, LLC firm. You may have noticed his outdoor billboard while shopping at Costco or noticed him networking at area Chambers of Commerce, on “Thirsty Thursdays” at GreenJackets games, and twice
When does a bargain become a blessing? I sought the answer to that question with my visit to Harlem. There, I met with Loreen Reynolds (president) and Stephaney Crenshaw (vice president) of the board of the non-profit Attic Treasures thrift store. Both have volunteered for many years and are having a wide-ranging positive impact in Harlem and neighboring communities. In 2008, the thrift store in town was about to close its doors. Five local folks decided to step in and rent more space. Their goal was to create a thrift
Earlier this week, the kind people from Hull Barrett in Evans stopped by our office and gave us an earful about the most recent closing dilemma to be on the lookout for in seller fraud. Seller fraud is not a new thing. Typically, it looks like a seller who intentionally covers up defects at a home or where they attempt to sell a home with money owed to contractors before they are publicly recorded. This new type of fraud is something I’ve decided to call a phantom seller. These malicious
Today’s business leaders bear little resemblance to the top brass of yesteryear. Business leadership has evolved significantly over the last 50 years, driven in large part by changes in technology and societal values. Business owners, who in the 1970’s were mostly middle-aged men, tended to run their companies with a top-down leadership approach. This autocratic management style was characterized by a dominant chain of command, limited employee empowerment, and almost non-existent transparency. While perhaps standard operating procedure back in the Disco Decade, today the dynamic feels heavy-handed, unmotivating, and maybe
