B2B Stories

Old and new: North Augusta antique mall thrives in a new location, opens a second building

Before Riverfront Antique Mall in North Augusta closed its doors permanently in September 2021, Richard Mayson wanted to keep the business afloat. On October 1, he launched his own business called Riverside Antiques & Treasures. “We had two options: find somewhere else or shut down,” Mayson, who served as a vendor at Riverfront for almost four years, said. After looking at 30-40 places, he decided to lease a 9,500-square-foot building located at 646 East Buena Vista Ave. in North Augusta. On Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mayson, his

Read More »
B2B Stories

The call center director says the key to happy customers is happy workers

Imagine walking into a call center and hearing music or seeing employees dressed up for an indoor Mardi Gras parade. If that sounds a little too far-fetched, those kinds of things happen at T-Mobile’s Augusta call center, according to Rachel Romero. Romero, the center’s director, was the guest speaker for this month’s Third Thursday Business Builder, hosted by the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce on Thursday. The topic was “The Art of Customer Care Post-Covid.” As a director, she oversees a team of more than 800 Customer Care Experts, as

Read More »
B2B Stories

Faith Friday: Sending gifts from Augusta businesses with help from above

Randall and Janice Williams truly believe the part of scripture in James 1:17 that says, “Every good and perfect gift comes from above….”  They prove it daily through their shared labor of love, Augusta Gift Baskets, a home-based e-commerce business founded in January 2021. He’s a former restaurateur. She’s a retired nurse. They not only blended their families (five children and 10 grandchildren) when they married three years ago but also their love for serving others. “It is our job to deliver easy, thoughtful gifts and ensure our customers are

Read More »
Shawna Woodward

Free Access: How to make a cash offer with a conventional loan

Trying to buy a house in the market we are in can be very discouraging to new home buyers in the $150,000 to $250,000 price range. I have a current client, who is a good friend of mine, and he has been looking to buy his first house for a few months now. There were weeks when we would view a newly listed home every single day. We made plenty of offers – I think our score count was 0 offers accepted and 10 offers made, so we were 0-10.

Read More »
Consumer Stories

A new staffing company aims to ease the nursing shortage

The CSRA is experiencing a nursing shortage, thanks to the pandemic and travel nursing, according to Melinda Green. Her new medical staffing agency plans to alleviate that shortage. Green, a certified nursing assistant, and medical technician is co-owner of Essential Supplemental Staffing, which opened on April 7. The agency shares an office with Guardian Angels Care, a home health care company, at 3604 Wheeler Road, Suite A1, Augusta. Niyetroshia Anderson, the owner of Guardian Angels, also co-owns ESS. In addition to her work with the staffing agency, Green serves as

Read More »
Consumer Stories

New Aiken internet company bridging service gaps in rural areas

In a couple of weeks, there will be another choice for digital communication in Aiken and surrounding areas. Bridge Internet will be offering services in various communities including Wood Valley, Langley, Montmorenci, and Graniteville. Founder and CEO, Trip Camper has been in the communications business for more than 30 years. “The time is right, and the need is great, especially in underserved areas,” he said. “Whether consumers are using the internet for telehealth services, banking, or gaming, and businesses are hosting zoom meetings, they need high speed, reliable, affordable service

Read More »
B2B Stories

Partridge Inn renovations combine original style with modern conveniences

The historic Partridge Inn originally opened in 1910, so naturally, it has undergone numerous renovations over the last 112 years. But after the 140-room Curio Collection by Hilton Hotel was renovated in 2015 and 2016, some guests complained it was beginning to look a little too modern, according to Holly White. White, who became the Partridge Inn’s General Manager in December, said the latest renovations, which have cost about $10 million so far, corrected that. To complete the project, the hotel, located at 2110 Walton Way, was closed from mid-September

Read More »
Employee Benefits

Free Access: Finding the best health care benefits for your business

Tom Mastny went from a Major League pitcher to helping local businesses with their health care benefits with The Pennant Group. In part 2 of his interview with Neil Gordon, Tom talks about the changes in the health care benefits industry and the importance of finding the right benefits for your company.

Read More »
Consumer Stories

Business Lunch Review: Groucho’s Deli

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

Read More »