Consumer Stories

Consumer Stories

Japanese restaurant to open near busy Martinez intersection

Hibachi Grill Express, a new Japanese restaurant, will open in a familiar Martinez location at 3861 Washington Road near the Bobby Jones Expressway intersection. For many years, the building was occupied by Taco Bell. Hibachi will serve a variety of dishes, including egg rolls, fried rice, and teriyaki chicken. Customers can either dine in the restaurant or order and pick up food at the drive-thru window. All meals cost less than $15. ABD previously reported the restaurant was expected to open by Valentine’s Day, but it still hasn’t opened. Thanks

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Consumer Stories

Local chef now serving up hot dogs in downtown Augusta

When word went out that “the hot dog man” was serving lunch for a meeting at Auben Realty, there was an air of excitement usually reserved for fine dining. The hot dog man is Jutavian McCord who dishes up all-beef hot dogs, sausages, and chicken wings from a sidewalk food cart with the business name Dat’s My Dog. There are plenty of condiments and toppings for the dogs, along with baked beans made from his mother’s recipe and coleslaw for sides. He’s been at it a year, but he’s had

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Consumer Stories

Business Lunch Review: Taj of India

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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Consumer Stories

New golf organization gives local amateurs the PGA tour experience

For decades, Augustans have watched some of the greatest players on the professional tour come through the area. Now, some of the great local amateur players – and even the not-so-great ones – have an opportunity to experience the tour life. Marcus Maddox, a sales consultant for KAMO, has created the Augusta chapter of the Amateur Players Tour, a national organization with tours in about 40 cities nationwide. “It’s designed to provide the average Joe with the PGA tour experience,” Maddox said. “It’s for players of all skill sets.” The

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Consumer Stories

Two business owners win Man and Women of the Year honors

Erik Smith of Grovetown and Secelia Brown of Evans are the local winners of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s annual Man and Woman of the Year contest. Smith raised $46,469 and Brown $135,097 to support LLS’ goal to find cures for blood cancers. “Congratulations to our winners, and to all of our candidates and campaign team members who participated in this year’s Man & Woman of the Year campaign,” said Amanda, Yancey, LLS Georgia–South Carolina Executive Director. “These exceptional volunteers are all unstoppable leaders in their communities. Together, we are

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Consumer Stories

Local medical nonprofit unveils the newest office in South Augusta

Christ Community Health’s new South Augusta location is already open and busy, but the official ribbon-cutting took place on Thursday, May 26. The office is located next to Barney’s Pharmacy at 2604 Peach Orchard Road, Suite 200. It opened in December 2021. “Over the past five months, they have handled over 3,000 patient visits,” CEO, Don Branum said. The non-profit organization, which provides a variety of health care services for children and adults throughout the CSRA, continues to serve uninsured and underinsured patients throughout the CSRA, thanks to financial support

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Consumer Stories

Fitness center will not open Riverwatch location

The owners of Endurance Fitness were prepared to open a second location in Evans in January 2022, just in time to help people launch their New Years’ resolutions. But after months of anticipation and construction, ABD has learned that the location will no longer open. For months, Cliff and Amanda Jennings heavily promoted the fitness center at 4099 River Watch Parkway, the former home of the Playhouse, through social media and billboard advertising. While Columbia County won’t have Endurance Fitness, the couple still owns and operates a successful location at

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Consumer Stories

Women’s clothing store to expand with fourth CSRA location

Business is booming at My Story, a local women’s boutique. The owners just broke ground on a fourth CSRA location on Cabela Drive in the Village at Riverwatch. The new store will be located close to Dave & Buster’s and next door to Guitar Center. My Story also has locations in the Augusta Mall, Mullins Colony in Evans, and Grovetown. The store sells a variety of items, such as pants, dresses, and shirts, as well as jewelry, accessories, and shoes. The business, which was founded in 2012, made the announcement

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Consumer Stories

Faith Friday: Therapist uses a prayerful yet playful approach to holistic health and wellness

LaSaundria Walker, M.Ed., LPCA, is a woman of faith. Yet when God told her to leave a job she adored, she didn’t listen. After all, she thought she would become director of the mental health agency where she was employed and retire there. That was 2018 and her disobedience came with a cost. “It eventually got to the point where my job, that place that was once one of peace and purpose, became unbearable,” Walker, an Augusta native, said. “I knew that His plan didn’t include going to another agency

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Consumer Stories

Appliance entrepreneur to open a new store in former Earth Fare building

Dave Barrett owns appliance stores on the East and West coasts, but in early July, he plans to open a fourth store in the former Earth Fare building located at 368 Furys Ferry Road, Suite 3 in Augusta. Barrett, the owner of Dave’s Appliance Warehouse, has one store just outside of Athens and two more in Orange County, California. He sells both new and B-Stock appliances, which refer to scratch-and-dent items and canceled orders, among others he buys from major companies. Unlike other appliance stores, Barrett won’t sell used items.

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