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Consumer Stories
Consumer Stories

Local businesses to participate in fun ladies’ event

Tomorrow, Chernita Edwards will be one of nearly 30 local business owners participating in an event for women in downtown Harlem. Edwards, owner of Frannie Mae’s Sweet Treats and Designs, will be one of the vendors for the fifth annual Mimosas on Main, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hosted by the Harlem Merchant’s Association, the event will include food, live music, shopping, and of course, mimosas. “I enjoy being able to share my small business with my community,” she said. Edwards sells a variety of

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Josh Heath May 4, 2023 No Comments
B2B Stories

CSRA at the forefront of tackling impending doctor shortages

Aiken Regional Medical Centers will be attracting, training, and retaining doctors through a new Internal Medicine program. Why is this important for attracting businesses to the CSRA? Quality of life which includes affordable housing, good schools, and medical care are on the shortlist for prospective new businesses. The bottom line is this program will help address estimated physician shortages. Primary care, internal medicine, and emergency care doctors are at the top of the in-demand list. A recent report released by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) declared that the

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Mitzi Oxford May 3, 2023 No Comments
B2B Stories

The future of cancer treatment in the CSRA is here

There isn’t a single business, employee, or family in the CSRA that hasn’t been touched by cancer. The number of doctors who treat cancer is shrinking as the need for cancer treatment is growing. But the future of cancer treatment in our area is getting a boost from the Georgia Cancer Center’s mobile lab. The center brought its mobile lab to Richmond County’s A.R. Johnson Health Science and Engineering Magnet School where students are training to join the healthcare industry. The timing is great considering the demand for cancer treatment

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Dana Lynn McIntyre May 3, 2023 No Comments
Closings

Local chocolatier temporarily closes one of its CSRA shops

Two months ago, Bebette Smith opened her Belgian chocolate business’s second CSRA location, but she’s already been forced to close that location temporarily and throw away about 200 pounds of chocolate. Smith owns La Bonbonniere located at 231 Furys Ferry Road, Suite 206B in Augusta and 227 Chesterfield St. South in Aiken. She said her Aiken store is one of three retail units located in the same building, and the building’s owner is currently revamping the other two units. Unfortunately, La Bonbonniere’s chocolates absorbed odors from a chemical used on

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Josh Heath May 3, 2023 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Business Lunch Review: BBQ Barn

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 the 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”.

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Wes Hennings May 3, 2023 No Comments
Closings

The conflict behind the closing of historic golf club restaurant

A little more than a year after opening at the Aiken Golf Club, The Legends Grille has closed its doors. There was some buzz on social media regarding the closing which attributed the shutdown to staffing shortages. Former Legends owner, Michael Allen agreed that staffing was an issue. “Between staff calling out of work, not showing up, and not completing their jobs once they arrived, yes, it was a contributing factor.” But there were issues for the restaurant even before the staffing challenges. Allen and Aiken Golf Club owner, Jim

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Mitzi Oxford May 2, 2023 No Comments
Consumer Stories

New fast-casual restaurant location opens in CSRA

Brett Rickert just opened his sixth franchise location of a national fast-casual restaurant chain in North Augusta. Yesterday morning, Rickert and his team, along with the city’s Mayor, Briton Williams, and the North Augusta Chamber of Commerce, celebrated the grand opening of Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers located at 505 East Martintown Road, across the street from Monterrey Mexican Restaurant. The restaurant serves a variety of meals, such as burgers, chicken sandwiches, chicken fingers, and hot dogs, as well as desserts made with frozen custard, including shakes and root beer

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Josh Heath May 2, 2023 No Comments
Consumer Stories

New CSRA restaurant serves American, Asian cuisine

Owning one restaurant can be overwhelming, but Jason Yang owns six eateries in Georgia and South Carolina. In March, Yang opened his latest business, Kanda Kitchen, which is located at 3555 Richland Ave. West, Suite 186 in Aiken. The restaurant serves a variety of menu options, including Philly sandwiches, fried rice, hamburgers, and chicken wings. Yang said no other restaurants in the Aiken area serve both American and Asian cuisine. “We’re a one-stop shop,” he said. Kanda Kitchen also serves several flavors of bubble tea, a drink that originated in

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Josh Heath May 1, 2023 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Local bagel shop and deli opens its doors

The wait is over. A New York-style bagel shop is officially open for business in Aiken. ABD previously told you about Straight Outta Brooklyn Bagel & Delicatessen, owned by New York natives, Joseph and Yvette Gallacchi. The business, which is located at 106 Park Ave. Southwest, opened its doors on Wednesday. In a Facebook post, the couple thanked everyone who visited the eatery that day. “We had a few glitches, but we hope everyone enjoyed their food,” they said. “We are working behind the scenes to fix a few things

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Josh Heath May 1, 2023 No Comments
B2B Stories

CSRA partnership touted as “huge win” for global security and workforce development

Augusta University and Savannah River National Laboratory have sealed a partnership for workforce development, education, and technology, all with a focus on cybersecurity. “This is a huge win because this is one of our fastest-growing areas,” AU Provost, Neil MacKinnon explained. “We have over 700 students now in our school. This provides real-world internships for them and obviously meets the workforce needs of a local employer as well. So yeah, it’s definitely a win for us and will help us continue to grow and I think increase our national prominence

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Dana Lynn McIntyre May 1, 2023 No Comments
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