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Consumer Stories
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

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Wes Hennings June 9, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Unique concept restaurant opening soon in Aiken

In a couple of weeks, Greg Pierce will open The Feed Sack in the Mitchell Shopping Center Aiken. It’s a good bet that you’ve never been to anything quite like this. It will feature a restaurant, retail wine section, prepared food you can take home, two bars, outdoor dining – and a furniture store. Wait, what? For some background regarding the furniture, his wife, Angie, owns Savvy Home with locations in Augusta, North Augusta, and now Aiken. The Pierces moved from Augusta to Aiken and invested $425,000 to renovate their

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Mitzi Oxford June 8, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Construction continues on the south Augusta townhome project

Oscar A. Jessie has made a multi-million dollar investment in a south Augusta housing development that will likely benefit existing businesses in that area and even spur the construction of new ones. Jessie, a local real estate developer and owner of GreenSpace Communities, LLC is currently building the Orchard Landing luxury townhome development on a nearly eight-acre property located at 3699 Peach Orchard Road. He said the three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath homes sell for between $180,000 to $205,000, 10 percent below market value. “That provides homeowners instant equity as soon as they

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Josh Heath June 7, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Customers get a kick out of coffee entrepreneurs’ drinks

By early next year, Natalie Jacobs and John Bojescul plan to open a new coffee shop with an unusual name in the heart of Evans. Founded in 2021, Goat Kick Coffee Company will be located next to the Columbia County Performing Arts Center in a new development called Evans Society Center at the corner of Ronald Reagan Drive and North Belair Road. The business name is derived from an ancient legend about a goatherder in Ethiopia whose goats ate fruit from a tree that made them so energetic, that they

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Josh Heath June 7, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Aiken clothier “Chalks it Up” for Father’s Day

A few years ago, Lionel Smith Ltd. started a promotion that honors dads and gives back to the community. Between June 1 leading up to Father’s Day on June 19, you can come by the longtime men’s clothing store, grab a piece of chalk and honor your dad on the sidewalk in front of the store at 132 Laurens Street. “For every handprint drawn or Dad’s name written in chalk, we’ll donate $5 to Children’s Place, whose mission is to protect, heal and strengthen children and families from the impact

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Mitzi Oxford June 6, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Faith Friday: Faith-filled native Augustan serves up Christ’s love with a sweet alternative to ice cream, yogurt

The time is upon us to bask in the rays of the summer sun. One local business owner is also hoping customers revel in the love of the Son of God…and enjoy water ice at the same time. What is water ice? According to Deon Jones, owner of DJR’s Water Ice, LLC, it just may become the cold dessert treat of choice you never knew existed. “It is a water-based, non-dairy, cold dessert that has no fat, gluten, tree nuts, peanuts, and no high corn fructose sugar,” said Jones. “The

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Monique Williams June 3, 2022 No Comments
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