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Entrepreneurs
B2B Stories

Shaping the future of entrepreneur ecosystems

Editor’s note: As the founder and president of the clubhou.se, Eric Parker is one of the leading advocates for entrepreneurs in the CSRA. Like many businesses, ABD follows his work with great interest because of its positive impact. Parker recently traveled to Washington, D.C., along with 80 other leaders in the field of entrepreneurial support. The ground is shifting for entrepreneur support in America. When Grace and I co-founded our nonprofit over a decade ago, entrepreneurship was in a steady 40-year decline in our country. However, the landscape has changed

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Eric Parker June 12, 2023 No Comments
B2B Stories

Local boutique owner to retire, close CSRA store

After 12 years in business, Jeriann Benton is retiring and closing her women’s clothing shop in Augusta. Benton, owner of 3 Chicks Boutique, located at 343 Highland Ave. in Surrey Center, has announced the store will officially close its doors on Saturday, June 24. ABD reached out to her, and she shared a letter she sent to her customers. “This little store has been a wonderful place for me to spend my time and energy, serving you and our community,” Benton said in the letter. “Over the years, people have

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Josh Heath June 8, 2023 No Comments
B2B Stories

Local baker to celebrate opening of second CSRA location

Last summer, Alice Garner’s dreams came true when she opened a bakery kiosk in the Augusta Mall, but about one year later, she’s preparing to open a second location in Columbia County. Garner owns Garner’s Sweet Dreams, LLC, which sells a variety of desserts, including cakes, cupcakes, brownies, and banana pudding. Garner, a U.S. Army veteran, established Garner’s Sweet Dreams as a home-based business in Aug. 2019. Her kiosk opened on July 24, 2022. “We’ve been doing great in the mall,” she said. Her new location will be at 280

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Josh Heath June 7, 2023 No Comments
B2B Stories

Business hopes to give you ‘A Polished Finish’

A Polished Finish, a Loganville, GA.-based business that specializes in countertops recently opened a showroom here in Augusta. The Augusta showroom, located at 2907 Washington Road in Suite 710, opened in March and held a grand opening last month. Established in 2003, the business has worked with customers to provide custom, stone countertops for 20 years. Jenny Hartzog, office manager of A Polished Finish in Augusta, said that though business was initially slow at the new location, more people are learning about the company. “It was slow at first, but

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Rakiyah Lenon June 6, 2023 No Comments
B2B Stories

New business is painting the way across the CSRA

From engineering in Houston to dabbling in real estate, Andrew Hughes has landed in Augusta with a paintbrush in his hand as the new owner of a Fresh Coat Painters franchise. In the beginning, he followed in his father’s footsteps working in Houston’s oil and gas industries. As an engineer, Hughes designed Remote Operated Vehicles (ROVs) that were used underwater. When Covid hit, much of that work dried up. He traveled north to Plant Vogtle in 2018 for an opportunity. “My family and I fell in love with Augusta and

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Mitzi Oxford June 4, 2023 No Comments
B2B Stories

Second annual festival draws support from CSRA businesses

If you are ready for a business break this weekend, here’s a great idea for a calming treat for the senses. King George Lavender Farm and Mercantile will host their annual Lavender Festival Saturday, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. In many ways, this event is tailor-made for business owners and employees who lead a hectic lifestyle. Located in Barnwell, SC on 115 acres, the family-owned farm features more than 8,000 lavender plants including three different varieties. George and Elinor Poole moved to the area in 2016 from New York.

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Mitzi Oxford June 1, 2023 No Comments
B2B Stories

Local entrepreneurs to offer luxurious camping experiences

Growing up in small Georgia towns, Jana Murphy and Paige Williams loved camping, which is what inspired them to launch their own glamping business in a local small town. On Sunday, June 11, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Murphy and Williams will celebrate the grand opening of Untamed Honey Glampsites at Soap Creek Marina and Resort located at 3000 Soap Creek Lodge Road in Lincolnton. Glamping means glamorous camping, which, unlike traditional camping, resembles sleeping in a luxury hotel room with all the conveniences of home, such as beds,

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Josh Heath May 31, 2023 No Comments
B2B Stories

Local meal prep business owner makes healthy eating more convenient

In April 2020, LaTreal Strickland started her meal prep business for local truck drivers and hospital employees who were working around the clock. Strickland owns DSD Boards, Meals, and Treats, which serves healthier versions of popular dishes, desserts, and charcuterie boards. DSD stands for Do Something Different. About a month ago, her business joined OPP Kitchen, a shared kitchen space located at 359 Furys Ferry Road in Martinez. One of the meals she serves is chopped steak with smashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes. “You’ll never know it’s cauliflower unless

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Josh Heath May 30, 2023 No Comments
B2B Stories

Local mom launches mobile ice cream business

Rebecca Skinner has been a stay-at-home mom for the last six years and wanted to find a way to recapture her identity, so she decided to open her own mobile ice cream business. In March, Skinner launched Blue Sky Ice Cream, LLC, but she didn’t start selling ice cream until the second week in April. She uses a concessions trailer, not a truck, to sell frozen treats at birthday parties, school celebrations, and other local events. “We just did Murphey Middle School’s end-of-the-year party,” Skinner said. “Next month, we’ll be

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Josh Heath May 24, 2023 No Comments
B2B Stories

Local baker expands business by opening second CSRA location

Tiffany Holley opened her first bakery in Thomson in Oct. 2019, but she just added a second location in Columbia County. Last Friday, May 19, Holley, the owner of Tippy Cakes Bakery, LLC, celebrated the soft opening of her new bakery located at 5110 Wrightsboro Road, Suite B, near Papa John’s Pizza and Armando’s Grill & Pizzeria in Grovetown. She said it will officially open for business on Wednesday, May 31. “I’ve always wanted to come to Grovetown and bring our cupcakes here,” Holley said. “I’m going to plan a

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Josh Heath May 24, 2023 No Comments
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