B2B Stories

B2B Stories

Chipotle’s Aggressive 2025 Growth Plan in the CSRA

A local Chipotle manager tells ABD he’s been told three new Chipotle Restaurants will open in 2025. According to Jordan Trotter Commercial Real Estate, one of them will open on 2999 Washington Road in front of the shopping center featuring the new Fresh Take Grocery store and adjacent to the Waffle House by the overpass near I-20. JT handles the commercial leasing for the entire center. The free-standing 3309 square foot location was most recently leased by Echo Park, a pre-owned vehicle dealership, which closed in June of 2023. Despite

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B2B Stories

United Way’s goal surpassed despite company decline

The United Way of the CSRA (UWCSRA) held its annual luncheon on March 11 to mark the end of its capital campaign. Brittany Burnett, President and CEO of UWCSRA, told ABD the luncheon is an opportunity to recognize companies and individuals that went above and beyond to support the annual campaign. This year’s Spirit of Community Award was presented to Aurubis Richmond for its commitment to strengthening the CSRA through community involvement. Donnell Jenkins, a volunteer at MACH Academy, received the 2024 Alvin W. Vogtle Volunteer of the Year Award

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B2B Stories

Developments popping up across North Augusta

Attendees at the North Augusta Chamber of Commerce’s March Good Morning, North Augusta breakfast got an overview of how and where North Augusta is growing. City Administrator, Jim Clifford used a series of slides to give a virtual tour of the city, highlighting residential and commercial development underway along with projects still on the drawing board. North Augusta is booming with new housing construction, particularly apartments and multifamily housing. Developments, both new and expansions of existing developments, dot the area around Highway 25/Edgefield Road at exit 5 off Interstate 20.

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B2B Stories

More CSRA Leadership Opportunities

The Columbia County Chamber of Commerce and North Augusta Chamber are now accepting applications for upcoming leadership classes. Business and area leaders are encouraged to apply for the Columbia County Chamber program before the April 18th deadline. Leadership Columbia County (LCC) is designed to expose participants to the opportunities and challenges facing our community while promoting and fostering the development of leaders who are committed to shaping the future of our Region. The Class of 2026 will be led by program Chair Rhonda Banks (LCC ’10), Interim Associate Vice President at

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B2B Stories

Prestigious Program Propels Future Business Leaders

Do you have a rising high school junior or senior interested in business? The Hull College of Business at Augusta University, ranked by the Princeton Review and U.S. News and World Report as one of the top business schools in the country, has a great scholarship opportunity. HCoB Dean Mark Thompson explains why the Dean’s Scholar Program is an exciting option.

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B2B Stories

Construction Almost Finished on $35 Million CSRA Development

A two-part development in the heart of North Augusta, combining new construction with historic preservation, is getting close to completion. Beacon Bluff, a mixed-use project announced in late 2023, is a 36,000-square-foot project across the street from the North Augusta Municipal Building. It is renovating a historic building that once housed a skating rink and later a carpet shop, on Georgia Ave. It also has a new building which will include retail, restaurants and professional space. “We are working on the courtyard that is between the two buildings, the rink

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B2B Stories

Online Clearinghouse for Employers and Job Seekers

The Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce provides an online resource to help businesses find employees, job seekers looking for work, and students planning their futures. Talent2Work launched in May 2021 as a regional workforce solutions platform. “It is a job marketplace platform that curates open positions, typically within about a 50-mile radius of Augusta-Richmond County. And it pulls from everything, from USAJOBS, Monster, Indeed, LinkedIn,” Angie Cox, President and CEO of the Chamber, explained for ABD. Cox added it is also a tool local businesses and industries can use to

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B2B Stories

An Eye on Consumer Spending: Navigating Growth and Challenges in Augusta

As Augusta continues to strive for success in a dynamic economic landscape, business leaders have reason for optimism. Nationally, consumer spending is on the rise, fueled by moderating prices, steady wage growth, and historically low unemployment rates. Not to mention, the share of credit card holders making only minimum payments on their bills rose to 10.75% nationally in the third quarter of 2024, the highest it’s been in 12 years according to recent Fed data. These trends reflect a bolder and more confident consumer base, which is driving demand across

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B2B Stories

Aspects of Spring Training Should Serve Your Business All Year

From approximately mid-February to late March each year, Major League Baseball (MLB) teams set up camps to prepare for the upcoming season in either Arizona or Florida. About forty years ago, I spent some time in Arizona to watch the MLB teams participate in pre-season games in the “Cactus League.” At last, during the past week, I spent some time on the Gulf Coast of Florida watching the Atlanta Braves participate in pre-season games known as the “Grapefruit League.” Spring Training is a hopeful time for all MLB teams. Since

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B2B Stories

Simon Says: Baseball Affects the Economy

Last week, I beat the Augusta heat (and it is only March!) by heading up to Iowa to do a presentation. I can’t wait for Augusta in August, especially after all the lost tree canopy from Hurricane Helene!!! Climate change is making extreme weather more common, including extreme hot and cold temperatures. Economists Kevin Kuruc, Melissa LoPalo, and Sean O’Connor wanted to determine how much people are willing to pay to avoid uncomfortable temperatures. They used attendance data from Major League Baseball from 1950 through 2000, a period with over

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