Consumer Stories

B2B Stories

Iconic Fast-Food Restaurants Open in CSRA

It’s a long way from here to California. Up until a couple of months ago, you would’ve had to make that trip to sample one of the state’s first fast-food chains. Fosters Freeze opened in Thomson in November at 2447 Cobbham Road and fans were quick to share the news on social media. This is Fosters’ first foray outside of California’s 62 locations. Franchise owner, Deep Takhar has family in Augusta. His sister and brother-in-law own 8 GasPro stations in the CSRA and one in Statesboro. Fosters Freeze is next

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Consumer Stories

New Entertainment Venue Opens

It’s a New Year and there’s a new entertainment venue inside the White’s Building on 936 Broad Street in downtown Augusta. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights are filled in January with different bands offering smooth R&B, Rock and Roll classics, and other easy listening options. Owner, Marty Koger just hired CEO, Burt Rayburn. “He’s my Chief Entertainment Officer,” joked Koger. This weekend, Rayburn and his bandmates in the group “Olde Towne Gentlemen” will take the stage with their backs to the glass window overlooking Broad Street. “We want the experience

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Residential Real Estate

Real Talk Real Estate: Spring Into Action: Get Your Home Ready to Sell This Season

As the New Year unfolds, many homeowners begin considering their goals for the months ahead. If selling your home in the spring is on your to-do list, now is the perfect time to start preparing. The spring real estate market is one of the busiest of the year, and getting a head start can help your home stand out among the competition. Here are the key areas to focus on to ensure your property is ready to shine when buyers start their search this spring. 1. Declutter and Organize A

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Awards/Celebrations

Local Leaders in the Georgia Spotlight

Georgia Trend magazine has released its annual top-of-the-heap leadership list. Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson was recognized as one of the 100 Most Influential leaders in the state. Johnson joins a veritable who’s who in Georgia, including Governor Brian Kemp, James Quincey, CEO of the Coca-Cola Company, Dan Amos, CEO of Aflac, and many other corporate, government, and civic leaders. The magazine staff chose Johnson because of his leadership following the devastation of Hurricane Helene when he sought assistance from federal and state agencies for citizens and businesses to start the

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Consumer Stories

What happens after hiring an employee?

Much attention is given to the importance of education, training, and apprenticeships to build a workforce pipeline. After an individual is hired, another step comes into focus: mentoring. SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management), a leader in providing experts, research, and advocacy on challenges in the current workplace, said mentorships can be “career-defining and life-changing” in shaping how mentees learn about their chosen field while also learning to network and nurture their career growth. However, SHRM finds mentorships benefit both groups involved. “Mentorship is a win-win situation,” says Adrienne Mitchell,

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Consumer Stories

Aiken County steps into the future of technology

Data centers are growing in size, location, and scope across the country, and Aiken County is feeling the impact. In late August 2024, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, announced it would build a center in Aiken County’s Sage Mill Industrial Park. Just three months later, Atlanta-based DC Blox said it would build a hyperscale edge node in North Augusta. Those centers are smaller and situated regionally to bring networking power closer to the end user. The North Augusta project is one of four announced by the

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Consumer Stories

10th Anniversary of Fun Business

A CSRA company is jumping into the New Year with 10th Anniversary celebrations. All Star Jumpers Party Rental is one of the leading providers of inflatable jumpers and party entertainment. The company has grown into a major special events business for birthdays, school events, corporate picnics, community festivals, and more. ASJP provides bounce houses, slides, obstacle courses, and interactive games. “We started with a simple goal: to create fun and memorable experiences for children and families. Over the years, we’ve expanded our services, improved our offerings, and built strong relationships.

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Consumer Stories

No Retail Room at the “Riverwood Inn”

100% of the existing buildings are now full at the shopping centers outside of Riverwood Plantation in Evans. Publix has more than half of the more than 100,000 square feet occupied between retail stores and out parcel properties at the intersection of Washington Road and William Few Parkway. Salt Interior and Design occupied the last space available recently, replacing a Taekwondo center. That business moved into a significantly larger space next to Rooted, a locally owned café. AR Workshop was the previous tenant next to Rooted. There are a few

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Residential Real Estate

Best of Real Talk Real Estate: Will Homes Finally Become Affordable in 2025?

Editor’s note: Welcome to a new year! Happy house hunting! As CSRA homeowners make changes after Helene and new potential homeowners move into the area, it seemed appropriate to repeat a column you might have missed about the potential of affordable homes in 2025. The question on everyone’s mind is whether 2025 will bring relief to homebuyers struggling with affordability. While recent fluctuations in mortgage rates have added uncertainty, many industry experts predict a gradual decline in rates next year. However, don’t expect rates to plummet too quickly. The powers

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Consumer Stories

A Dadventure unlike any other

Editor’s note: When Wes Hennings contributes to ABD, the topic usually revolves around Working for the Weekends and where you can take your kids for some fun and games. Today’s Dadventure is different. It’s a lifesaving trip he takes with his daughter.  You’re never prepared for your child to receive a devastating diagnosis. But it’s news we received before our daughter was even born. She would live her life facing Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a disease that until just a few years ago, was almost always deadly before the age of

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