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Consumer Stories
B2B Stories

Accelerating downtown Augusta growth

A business development center whose opening was delayed when Hurricane Helene smashed Metro Augusta, recently opened its doors and is part of a rebirth in one section of downtown Augusta. Accelerate Augusta is up and running in the former Greater Augusta Chamber of Commerce building. The I.M. Pei-designed building is located at 600 Broad Street. The microenterprise center was created to support entrepreneurs, start-ups, and help local small businesses develop and grow. However, it is also a welcome neighbor on that section of Broad Street. “Got a new hotel coming

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Dana Lynn McIntyre October 15, 2025 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Simon Says: More jobs; less money

The Augusta Labor Market Index (LMI) was unchanged in August compared to July. It is 0.8 percent higher than August 2024. Employment increased in August, as I have already reported, and the unemployment rate fell from 4.2% to 4.1%. However, the other three components of the LMI fell. Average weekly earnings decreased by $30, the labor force fell by 40 people, and average weekly hours worked fell by 36 minutes. Across the Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) of Georgia, only Brunswick and Macon saw declines in the LMI. Athens, Dalton, Rome,

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Dr. Simon Medcalfe October 14, 2025 No Comments
Consumer Stories

2 huge projects in process through Aiken County

A second free-standing emergency room is coming to North Augusta. It is being built in the parking lot in front of a shopping center housing businesses that offer a good amount of physical activity. The E.R. will be built near where Spatter Place and the Family Y of North Augusta are on W. Martintown Road. That’s the North Hills Shopping Center. Aiken Regional Medical Centers (ARMC) is developing it. The hospital has a similar existing facility, the ER at Sweetwater. It opened three years ago at 160 Austin Graybill Road.

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Dana Lynn McIntyre October 14, 2025 No Comments
Closings

Local staffing company hurt by manufacturer’s shutdown

Sabrina Murray, Director of Client Services for Snelling, is on the hunt for new business. For the last 15 years, her company has placed temporary employees at Augusta Sportswear to fill customer orders. Their client is going away, along with temporary jobs, on December 19th, after Augusta Sportswear filed a notice of shutdown with the State of Georgia. “This time last year, business was booming and we placed 47 temps, “said Murray. Murray said when Snelling hosted an employee appreciation event for Augusta Sportswear in August, she had just 22

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Neil Gordon October 10, 2025 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Job boom is coming, causing Aiken-Augusta housing crunch

A study by the SRS Community Reuse Organization (SRSCRO) projects that an eight-county region will need to add more than 17,350 new housing units by 2030, an increase of 43% housing development needed annually. That is triggered by an anticipated 16,256 new jobs by 2030. The study was conducted in partnership with Georgia Power and KB Advisory Group. It encompasses Richmond, Columbia, McDuffie, and Burke counties in Georgia, and Aiken, Allendale, Barnwell, and Edgefield counties. The goal is to evaluate current housing trends along with expected job creation over the

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Dana Lynn McIntyre October 9, 2025 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Generous businesses attract loyal employees

A new report finds that even the most satisfied employees may be pursuing a different job, spurred by the desire to work for a company committed to the community. ABD’s learned that it is also the case with Augusta-area businesses like the Meta team member efforts to clean up Hitchcock Woods. (Photo Above) goBeyondProfit, founded in 2017, began tracking business generosity in 2019. Its 2025 report finds 97% of employees say business generosity is important. That’s more than double the 47% reported in 2019. (https://gobeyondprofit.org/research/2025-business-generosity-report/) Brittany Burnett, President and CEO

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Dana Lynn McIntyre October 7, 2025 No Comments
B2B Stories

Simon Says: How Helene impacted job and rate of pay

Publisher’s Note: As you probably witnessed in the months following Helene’s wrath, workers were out and about helping rebuild. Damaged homes, businesses, and public infrastructure were getting rebuilt. Demand was created for construction, engineering, skilled trades, and logistical movers. Federal and relief funds stimulated recovery efforts, but how much? The numbers may surprise you. In terms of employment, both Columbia County in Georgia and Aiken County in South Carolina saw employment increase from December to March by 1.89% and 0.1% respectively. Moreover, March employment in both counties was higher than

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Dr. Simon Medcalfe October 7, 2025 No Comments
B2B Stories

Sporting events bringing millions to local economy

Dr. Jermaine Whirl helped Augusta greatly as President of Augusta Tech. Now, his new school will be helping to bring an estimated $1.1 million in economic impact to Augusta. Savannah State University and its fans will be coming to Lucy C. Laney Stadium for the Good Trouble Heritage Classic. The weekend celebration is from October 17-19, with the culmination being a football game between two historically black universities (HBCU). The game got the attention of ESPN, as ESPN+ is broadcasting the game across the country. Destination Augusta and the Augusta

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Neil Gordon October 6, 2025 No Comments
B2B Stories

Good Deeds: Guest Column on Hurricane Helene

It’s All Heart (my friends) Eric Parker, Make Startups Founder One year ago this week, our city and our team were devastated by Hurricane Helene. Most of us had damaged homes, and the roads in and out of our neighborhoods and across the city were blocked by downed trees and power lines. We went weeks without power, and with limited access to food, gas, and other basic supplies. Every family learned how to use chainsaws, and communities banded together to help each other clean up, and most of all, actually

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Eric Parker, Make Startups Founder October 3, 2025 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Good Deeds: Supporting an Important Cause

Area businesses have the opportunity to support a small, nonprofit organization that is marking its 10th anniversary. Day One Fitness plans to celebrate in style with a gala on Nov. 15th at First Baptist Church of Augusta on Walton Way. In advance of the event, businesses can sign on as sponsors to help underwrite the gala. “Businesses can really support us by purchasing a table or a sponsorship. We have some other sponsorships that are a little bit higher, that have a little bit more perks to them, that also

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Dana Lynn McIntyre October 3, 2025 No Comments
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