A we-own-it culture is critical for a successful Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) company. Neil Gordon sits down with Augusta Industrial Services CEO, David Beckum to discuss the important ingredients to creating a strong culture in an ESOP.
Trust is an important part of working with another company. Amy Richardson of Richardson Professional Solutions tells Neil Gordon how they establish trust with their clients, including insurance, password protection, and cyber security.
Dave Barrett owns appliance stores on the East and West coasts, but in early July, he plans to open a fourth store in the former Earth Fare building located at 368 Furys Ferry Road, Suite 3 in Augusta. Barrett, the owner of Dave’s Appliance Warehouse, has one store just outside of Athens and two more in Orange County, California. He sells both new and B-Stock appliances, which refer to scratch-and-dent items and canceled orders, among others he buys from major companies. Unlike other appliance stores, Barrett won’t sell used items.
Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia and the CSRA are planning to breathe new life into the former Georgia Bank & Trust building in front of its complex on Furys Ferry Road, according to Karen Lee Davis. Davis, the non-profit organization’s Director of Marketing and Public Relations said the building, which has been vacant for many years, will be transformed into a welcome center that will house the Helms College admissions office, the CEO, and the marketing team. “It will really pull together everything we have happening on this campus,” she
Inflation and record-high gas prices are beginning to affect one of Americans’ favorite pastimes – eating out. Research by Acosta, a marketing firm in Jacksonville, found that 54 percent of Americans report dining out less. When they do go out, they are more selective in where they go and what they order. About a third of those surveyed said they’re choosing less expensive restaurants or less expensive menu items when they dine away from home. This is a blow to the restaurant industry just beginning to recover from shutdowns during
Editor’s Note: Wes Hennings never met a meal he walked away from and is an opinionated eater! Each Thursday he shares the results of a business lunch he’s had with a colleague as a way to advise our business community on the good, bad, and tasty across the CSRA. He doesn’t let ABD or the restaurant know where he is going and his opinions are his own. He grades the restaurants he visits on a 1-5 scale with “5” being outstanding. We call this our “Real Business Lunch Review”. Food
The rate of increase in the Consumer Price Index fell in April to leave the headline national inflation rate at 8.3 percent, but the inflation rate for the South was higher than the national rate at 8.8 percent. The main reason why the rate of inflation fell was a decline in gasoline prices of 6.1 percent in April. However, gas prices have been rising again in May and so the inflation rate is likely to increase again. Of growing concern for inflation is food prices, especially wheat. The war in
Water is essential for coffee but too much of a good thing has temporarily shut down Ubora Coffee Roasters. The coffee shop, located at 1128 Jones St., is a popular spot for business people to work and hold meetings. According to a representative of the company, a pipe inside the business ruptured over the weekend and poured water into the store for about two hours before someone could shut it off. Ubora is closed for the time being as crews work to clean up the damage. Fans will be running
If you’re craving a burrito bowl from Diablo’s Southwest Grill, you can visit any CSRA location – except the original one at 3668 Wheeler Road, Suite 4 in Augusta. That restaurant has been closed since last month due to a kitchen fire. Rob Ashe, President of AdMax Advertising, which handles Diablo’s advertising, said it will probably remain closed for several months. “I haven’t been inside it, but it must be extensive damage,” Ashe said. “It will be closed longer than we would like.” This isn’t the first time its owners
Steven and Kim Studdard knew people were driving from Grovetown and Harlem to Evans to buy frozen desserts at Vampire Penguin, so they decided to launch their own. The couple hopes to open their franchise located at 419 Lewiston Road, Suite 2 in Grovetown later this week. Steven said they’re just waiting for their business license. Kim got the idea from her friend, who owns the Evans franchise location. “All this was her idea,” he said. “My wife really fell in love with the idea of opening a Vampire Penguin.”
