B2B Stories

Lessons from training camp

In last week’s column, I wrote about how this is one of my favorite times of the year because it means the start of football season. However, whether you play football at the high school, college, or professional level, this time of the year means training camp, which brings on a mix of anticipation and dread. While you are excited to get back to the game you love to play, you also dread the heat, physical demands, and grinding repetition of training camp. However, for football coaches, they understand that

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B2B Stories

AU adds more than $1.6 billion to Georgia economy

The growth of Augusta University has made an impact that goes well beyond the River Region. With a growing statewide network that includes regional and clinical campuses for the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University and the Dental College of Georgia, as well as clinical sites and research projects that serve the state’s 159 counties, it’s easy to see how AU continues to provide value, including economic value, to the city, state and region. During fiscal year 2024, which ran from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, Augusta University provided a

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B2B Stories

Updates on CSRA building, unemployment, and inflation

The Augusta Leading Economics Index (LEI) fell 1.1 percent in June from May. It remains 0.3 percent higher than June 2024. Declines were seen in all components except the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Residential building permits fell from 306 in May to 291 in June. Initial claims for unemployment insurance increased from 684 in May to 879 in June. The inflation rate in the South Census region increased to 2.3 percent, up from 2.0 percent in May and 1.9 percent in March. Job openings in Georgia declined from 328,000 in

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Awards/Celebrations

Local boutique plans birthday celebration

Kennedy Sammons is trying to share her “hidden gem” of a retail outlet with as many as possible in the CSRA. That’s why she’s holding a birthday party for Forevermore Boutique to celebrate two years in business. It’s set for NEXT Saturday, August 30th, from 11 in the morning until 6 in the afternoon at the shop at 104 South Belair Road, #9. Kennedy will celebrate her accomplishment with refreshments, giveaways, one-day sales, and a lot of fun throughout the day. She offers up women’s clothing and accessories and prides

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B2B Stories

Augusta leaders trending in Georgia

What do Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson, Augusta Metro Chamber President and CEO Angie Cox, Greater Augusta Black Chamber President and Cofounder Ronic West, and Downtown Development Authority Director Margaret Woodard have in common? Each has helped carve a path for economic development in the CSRA, and their efforts are highlighted in the August edition of Georgia Trend magazine. Some of the articles focused on the region’s response to the devastation from Hurricane Helene, lost lives, and the millions of dollars in cleanup. Mayor Johnson and Augusta Metro Chamber’s Angie Cox

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B2B Stories

Local business takes flight in expanded location

Their story is the epitome of small business success. Three Crows Fiber opened a little over a year ago in Augusta on James Brown Boulevard. In less than a week, the niche business offering yarns and knitting classes drew customers from across the CSRA and as far away as Athens and Statesboro. The business expanded to a space at 1026 Broad Street last week that will give them more room to spread their wings. “The space is three times bigger than what we had before. We really needed that to

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B2B Stories

Renovation and Re-Dedication

After 27+ years in business, a local company is celebrating with its clients and the entire community. The party brought together the government, business, and senior stakeholders. Brookdale North Augusta partied with the local Chamber, Mayor Briton Williams, and its residents to the tune of live entertainment, tours, food, and more. The grand re-opening and ribbon-cutting featured a lot of renovations made to the interior and exterior of the facility on 105 North Hills Drive. In addition to a fresh coat or two of paint throughout, there is new exterior

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Consumer Stories

Full-service vet clinic opens in the CSRA

Let’s face it, most of us consider our pets part of the family. Riverfront Vet opened last month in North Augusta, and they are dedicated to keeping your pet healthy and being there to guide you through emergencies. The amount of money Americans fork out each year for the care and feeding of our animal companions jumped to $151 billion in 2024. According to Pettable, that amounts to about $1,850 a year in Georgia and South Carolina. For Dr. Maria Flippo, the first doctor in her family, it’s not about the money. She knew

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B2B Stories

Local 9th grader selected as worldwide winner

A 14-year-old student at Augusta Christian School won the Army & Air Force Exchange Service’s “You Made the Grade” sweepstakes, which recognizes academic excellence among military-connected students. He was selected out of 2,300 entrants. Trent Hall is the son of retired Fort Gordon veterans, Tamika and Robert Hall, who have served for a combined 42 years. He enjoys studying science, plays soccer, and aspires to become a professional soccer player. His grand prize in the form of a $2,000 Exchange gift card was presented to him during a presentation at

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Closings

Gary’s Hamburgers down to one store after 42 years

After a temporary closure this Spring and Summer and more than a dozen years in Martinez, Gary Gibson is closing his locally run restaurant due to health and staffing issues. Gary Gibson tells ABD surgeries and physical therapy have slowed him down and haven’t enabled him to recruit employees at a time when it’s harder than ever to compete with other employers, despite nearly doubling his wages in five years. “Before Covid, our starting wage was $8 per hour, and now it’s $14-15 per hour,” said Gibson. He used to

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