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Consumer Stories
Consumer Stories

Faith Friday: Cutting-edge faith transforms trash into treasure

Tim Fitzgerald II knows how to turn scraps into something special. As a former employee of a hardwood flooring company, he would salvage discarded pieces of quality, sometimes antique, wood. That’s when ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure’ became more than just a saying. “I started gluing them up and making cutting boards. With each one, the process and quality were improved until, after giving one to every one of our family members, my wife finally insisted that we should start a business,” he recalls. “In July 2013, we

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Monique Williams June 17, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

German copper recycler makes $340 million investment in Augusta plant but Riverkeeper asks for delay

A new metal recycling plant is slated to start construction this summer in Augusta Corporate Park in South Augusta, but the Savannah Riverkeeper has filed a petition with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division to delay construction and conduct another review of potential pollutants from the plant. Aurubis, based in Germany, announced the project last fall. The scope of the project includes a state-of-the-art multi-metal recycling plant (see artist rendering above) built on 150 acres, which would provide about 125 local jobs. Hiring for some of those jobs is expected to

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Gary Kauffman June 16, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Business Lunch Review: Whiskey Bar Kitchen

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 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”. Food

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Wes Hennings June 16, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Owners of Trinidad-inspired vegan restaurant to celebrate the grand opening

A mother-daughter duo is preparing to launch a unique restaurant concept in Augusta. Georgia Alexander and her mother, Diane Francis, will hold a grand opening celebration for Soca Vegan Kitchen located near Sprouts Farmers Market at 630 Crane Creek Drive, Suite 103 on Thursday, June 30. The Columbia County Chamber of Commerce will hold a ribbon-cutting at 4:30 p.m., and the celebration will begin at 6 p.m. Customers will be randomly selected to receive a T-shirt, and the first 200 customers will receive a coupon for a free entrée. No

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Josh Heath June 14, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

CSRA legal teams raise funds for a worthy cause

In the courtroom, prosecutors and defense attorneys usually have different goals. But local legal organizations recently teamed up to raise more than $33,000 to help Golden Harvest Food Bank provide 99,127 meals for hungry children this summer. These organizations, including the district attorney’s office for the Augusta Judicial Circuit; Durham Bray Law Firm, P.C.; Fulcher Hagler LLP; Richmond County Civil and Magistrate Court; and Attorney Nathan Jolles collected donations for the 11th annual Georgia Legal Food Frenzy fundraising competition April 18-29. “The local bench is committed to supporting the community

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Josh Heath June 13, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Faith Friday: ABC’s 1, 2, 3’s of Faith major lessons in business owner’s life as she educates youth

As a young girl, Shannon Franklin would gather her stuffed animals and teach them everything she learned in Sunday School. Her mom knew she had a gift for teaching. Franklin, though, had no idea that gift would eventually usher her into entrepreneurship as founder, tutor, and executive director of a non-profit organization.  She recalls at 17, thinking none of it was possible. “I thought that my dreams were unachievable at the time,” she recalls. Over time, though, she realized this was a calling and if she activated her faith, God

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Monique Williams June 10, 2022 1 Comment
Consumer Stories

International supermarket chain to open Columbia County location

An international discount supermarket chain has announced it will open its third CSRA location, this time in Evans. Germany-based Lidl plans to build the more than 30,000-square-foot grocery store at 4285 Washington Road, across the street from Publix in Evans Towne Centre. “We are in the early stages of development for our future store in Evans, and it is too early to offer a timeline for opening at this time,” said Lidl US Public Relations Manager, Chandler Spivey. The company, which sells a variety of products, including meat, produce, baked

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Josh Heath June 10, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

GreenJackets’ special weekday game gives business persons a fun day at the ballpark

Running a business often means long hours and relentless stress, but the Augusta GreenJackets want to give you and your team a much-needed break with an event next week. The event is called the Business Person’s Special, which will include reserved seating for a game and lunch on Wednesday, June 15 at SRP Park. Gates open at 11 a.m., and the game against the Charleston RiverDogs begins at 12:05 p.m. “We are excited to bring back a noon game for our fans this season,” said Tom Denlinger, Vice President of

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Josh Heath June 9, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

National bookstore chain reopens Aiken location

When Lance Danko needs stress relief, he goes book shopping, which is why he was happy when Books-A-Million reopened in Aiken late last week. Danko, administrator for Augusta University Health Imaging, and his wife have already visited the new store located at 1650 Richland Ave. West, Suite 195 near Rose’s and Hibbett Sports in the Kalmia Plaza shopping center. “It’s one of the few bookstores left besides Barnes & Noble in Augusta where you can really go in and look around,” he said. Books-A-Million had a store in the Aiken

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Josh Heath June 9, 2022 1 Comment
Consumer Stories

Business Lunch Review: Rockin’ Crab Seafood and Bar

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 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”. Food

Read More »
Wes Hennings June 9, 2022 No Comments
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