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Consumer Stories
Consumer Stories

A local group plans to make the historic water tower smile again

With help from local businesses and the Augusta community, Leonard “Porkchop” Zimmerman wants to improve the appearance of the skyline overlooking downtown Augusta. Zimmerman, a local artist, founded the nonprofit Project Happy Water to raise $100,000 that will be used to restore and paint his Happy Robot logo on the water tower on top of the JB Whites Building located at 936 Broad St. The nonprofit held a kickoff fundraiser called High Water on Thursday, March 24, which raised $11,000. The event, attended by 225 people, included an art auction

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Josh Heath March 29, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Schedule flexibility and remote work are top goals of job seekers, survey finds

Olivia Carswell describes her ideal work environment as a hybrid of the office and her house. “I don’t think I could work from home full-time, but it’s nice to be alone every once in a while,” Carswell, senior account coordinator for the Alison South Marketing Group in Augusta, said. Carswell’s attitude reflects the results of a recent survey conducted by MAU Workforce Solutions. That survey found that out of 2,400 candidates, 63 percent said their attitudes about work have changed because of covid, and 42 percent said they value time

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Josh Heath March 28, 2022 No Comments
B2B Stories

Augusta native takes a swing at the golf shoe business

Augusta native Edgar Evans, Jr. doesn’t have a lucrative shoe contract like Tiger Woods, but he loves golf and has a passion for sharing the sport with young people from underserved communities. Evans golf instructor for the Atlanta Country Club and host of a golf TV show, Saturday Foursome, recently developed a signature golf shoe he calls The Edgar 1’s. The shoes will only be available during Masters Week from Saturday, April 2 to Sunday, April 10. Evans plans to release a different shoe the first week of April every

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Josh Heath March 28, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Faith Friday: Bicycle tour business pedaled through pandemic on faith

An adage referring to something you know how to do but haven’t done in a while is “It’s like riding a bike.” That phrase takes on new meaning when mounting an actual bicycle at a local business in downtown Augusta. It’s probably not at all what you have in mind as your journey on two or three wheels begins. That’s exactly what owners and operators of Bike Bike Baby, LLC, Alvin, and Christina Watson, want. “We noticed that there wasn’t much to do in Augusta, so we decided to give

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Monique Williams March 25, 2022 No Comments
B2B Stories

Aiken company spreads AHH little sunshine with promotional products

What started as a hobby 30 years ago for Jim Hanna, grew into a successful business. He used to play in slow-pitch softball leagues, more than 300 games a year, which led to unique sales opportunities. “I started selling bats out of the back of my car and suddenly everyone wanted one,” he explained. Those sales were a catalyst for the promotional product business that he started. Over time, it grew from bats to banners, signs, T-shirts, vehicle wraps, and everything in between. If you can put a logo on

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Mitzi Oxford March 25, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Mortgage rates rise, but might not immediately affect the tight CSRA housing market

The historically low home mortgage rates are coming to an end with the Federal Reserve’s recent interest rate hike and plans for more in the future. But that may not have an immediate effect on home sales in the CSRA – and may end up turning into a positive. Tiffany Sheppard, the mortgage banker with Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group in Martinez, said rates are already rising from last year’s lows. Some clients who pre-qualified for loans a month or two ago but who were still shopping around may now have

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Gary Kauffman March 24, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Local entrepreneur reflects on 40 years in the printing business

Printing isn’t merely about putting ink on paper; it’s about conveying messages, according to Larry Lynn. Lynn opened his printing business, Allegra, in 1983 to help his customers convey those messages. He and his wife, Rosemary, also own Image360, a sign company. The couple runs both businesses at 128 Commercial Blvd. next to the Martinez post office. Allegra and Image360 operate under Alliance Franchise Brands, LLC, and a franchisor of more than 600 printing, marketing, and sign businesses throughout North America. Besides printing and signs, their staff also designs and

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Josh Heath March 24, 2022 1 Comment
Consumer Stories

Business Lunch Review: Roughing it at Outback Steakhouse

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 March 24, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Augusta Airport prepares for the major travel rush

Thanks to covid, Masters travel numbers at the Augusta Regional Airport have been significantly lower than usual for the last two years. But that won’t be the case this year. The airport is preparing for a normal tournament week April 4-11 by instituting a new parking policy, introducing a new baggage claim area, and temporarily adding some direct flight options. “As the primary gateway to Augusta, we are diligently preparing for the 2022 Masters and are excited for the prospects of a full event,” said airport Executive Director Herbert L.

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Josh Heath March 23, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Local golfers tee off for two causes

A week before the legendary golf tournament descends on Augusta, there’s another tournament that raises funds to support two local nonprofits. The 26th annual Triple Crown Golf Classic will be held on Monday, March 28 at Woodside Country Club in Aiken. Proceeds from the private event will be split between Helping Hands and Tri-Development Center of Aiken County, Inc. Helping Hands provides services for abused, neglected, and abandoned children, while Tri-Development serves adults with a variety of disabilities, such as brain injuries and autism. Heather Waddell, Executive Director of Tri-Development

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Josh Heath March 23, 2022 No Comments
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