Openings

B2B Stories

New CSRA gift shop opens just in time for the holidays

A charming, southern house built almost 100 years ago has served as a real estate office, a salon, and an interior design shop. Now, another life has been breathed into the property at 1216 Whiskey Road in Aiken. Meadow Aiken is a family-owned shop that opened last month. The rooms of the home now feature an array of gifts and other home décor. “When we first saw it, we thought it was so beautiful we couldn’t stop thinking about it,” said owner, Nikki Mackenzie. “Yes, it was old and had

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B2B Stories

Who are you wearing? New women’s clothing shop answers the question

It’s the epitome of creating a small business. Find a need and fill it. Last spring, Angie Richards and Terri Rourk were shopping for new ensembles to wear during the polo season. They couldn’t find what they were looking for and that’s when the idea to create their own shop was born. Curated Clothiers opened on Nov. 1 at 108A Laurens Street in Aiken. Even though the polo season is over for the year, the holidays lie ahead. If you are shopping for yourself or gifts for others, they have

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Consumer Stories

New take on a grocery option downtown

On Broad Street, that great street, lies the heart of downtown, with restaurants, shops, recreational opportunities, businesses, and hotels. Now comes a grocery store, The Earth Pantry, to complete the picture of a place to benefit living, working, and playing downtown. The new shop, at 1026 Broad Street, is a step in the right direction for food goods. They not only offer bulk foods, but also home and body care items and a refrigerated section and will continue to expand food, beverage, wellness, and cleaning supply offerings. “Partnering with local

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Consumer Stories

New French restaurant brings bon appétit to the CSRA

Paris and Rome are famous for art and iconic landmarks, fashion, and cuisine. When the doors of DiVino’s Italian Ristorante closed after seven years, it seems appropriate that a restaurateur from Paris would bring a different taste of European culinary delights to the same location. Two weeks ago, Bistro 55 Restaurant & Bar opened at 465 Railroad Avenue in the Hammonds Ferry area of North Augusta. It was always manager, Maurice Cohen’s dream to move from his birthplace of Paris to the U.S. He lived in Los Angeles and managed

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B2B Stories

Award-winning baker branches out with grand opening for new restaurant

If you’ve ever had a sweet tooth, you’ve probably visited Bottom Line Bakery at 4534 Washington Road in the past couple of years. Surely, the display of cakes and the aroma of freshly baked bread and cinnamon rolls drew you into the establishment started by Kelsey Lucius. You might also have caught her on Season 7 of Chopped Sweets, where she turned four somewhat questionable baskets of ingredients into Million Dollar Desserts which captured the $10,000 winning prize. That was in March 2020. A few months later, Lucius opened her

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B2B Stories

New franchisee serves fastest growing population in the CSRA

Editor’s note: This is the first in a two-part series on aging in the CSRA, the impacts on the workforce, our economy, and the benefits of seniors caring for other seniors. We begin with a new business that addresses the care of seniors and employs members of the senior workforce. Let’s face it. None of us are getting any younger. In fact, older adults will soon outnumber kids for the first time in U.S. history. Fewer babies, coupled with longer life expectancy equals a country that ages faster. With this

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B2B Stories

New CSRA business is in the pink

There is no way you can miss a new boutique at 2569 Central Avenue in Augusta. The building is bright pink and is home to The Pink Boutique. The building, what’s inside, and the owner stand out. The business, which opened three months ago, features ladies’ fashions and modern-style home décor. “We offer a little something for everyone and work with dependable vendors and our own stylists who provide our shop with quality style and merchandise,” said owner, William Harrison. In the pink means a state of good health or

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B2B Stories

Unique food business launches in the CSRA

As someone who grew up in the food and beverage business, Tia Harville dreamed of opening a restaurant. Covid forced her to ditch that plan for another business that also runs in the family. “In 2014, my husband’s aunt and uncle, Cindy and Anthony Mask opened Town Square Olive Oil in Covington, Ga. The concept appealed to us because there is really nothing quite like it here and we thought it would be good for North Augusta,” Harville explained. She is correct. The businesses surrounding Town Square Olive Oil &

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B2B Stories

A different kind of BYOB

If someone is hosting a party and tells you to BYOB, it usually means Bring Your Own Bottle, Booze, or Beer. Not this time. When you visit JoJo’s Flower Bar, the acronym stands for Build Your Own Bouquet. Josey Nina is an entrepreneur who has a love for all things floral. She has parlayed that passion into a business called JoJo’s Flower Bar. “I did a trial run at the Barnyard Flea Market in Augusta. It was an awesome day of meeting people and introducing myself and my flower bar

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Consumer Stories

Now playing: “The Hill” filmed in Augusta

Editor’s note: The Hill generated about $5 million locally to the CSRA economy during the filming in 2021, employed an estimated 50 local crew members, and employed over 500 background actor days. “In addition to hiring local crew, The Hill generated an economic impact in Augusta by paying local location fees, housed crew in local hotels, hired several local background extras and utilized additional local services. Film Augusta was influential in the decision to land this production in Augusta by assisting the production team in navigating the production through the use of local

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