Thu, April 23, 2026

Facebook-f Youtube Instagram
Newsletter Sign up
Show Support
Menu

Consumer Stories
Consumer Stories

Local rent prices climb as supply of available homes remains low

Renting a house or apartment in the CSRA has become increasingly expensive, and Shawna Woodward doesn’t expect rental prices to decrease significantly in the future. Woodward – real estate agent for RE/MAX Reinvented and a rental property manager, says local rent prices have increased because of a shortage of homes available to rent. “Owners can raise the price because there aren’t that many to choose from,” she explains. Many potential renters want to live in certain areas, such as Columbia County and West Augusta. North Augusta is another popular area,

Read More »
Josh Heath September 14, 2021 No Comments
B2B Stories

Covid-19 effects helps fuel business owners’ expansion

Kelly Hennings loves working with babies and children, but she knew she needed more space to run her business. Hennings – a speech therapist and owner of Honey Pie Pediatric Therapy, currently sees her patients in a 400-square-foot room in the Center for Primary Care’s North Augusta location at 105 East Hugh St. But she’s moving to a new 1,800-square-foot office, located at 106A Martintown Road on the corner of Georgia Avenue and next door to University Home Health Services, about a mile away. Hennings looks forward to having “a

Read More »
Josh Heath September 13, 2021 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Lunch Restaurant Review: Your Pie is good food but not the best for biz

Editor’s Note: Planning a business lunch? Wondering where to take your client? Our ABD Business Lunch Restaurant Reviews offer honest insights on where you should and should not go for lunch. (First published – May 31, 2021) Reviews are based on our 5-star rating system, with one being poor and five being excellent. Bon Appétit! Food Quality: 5 Service: 5 Business Meeting: 3 Value: 4 Average Score: 4.25 of 5 When I first heard the concept of Your Pie, I thought it was genius. I tried it in Athens and

Read More »
Wes Hennings September 13, 2021 No Comments
Closings

Local restaurateur says government leaders forcing closure of profitable restaurant

Gary Gibson says the combination of a planned retirement by a Gary’s Hamburgers store manager and what he calls the never-ending federal unemployment subsidies and stimulus checks has forced his hand. “We cannot keep enough employees on staff to adequately serve our customers.” Gary Gibson adds: “The current administration appears to be coercing small business owners into paying much, much higher wages than we can afford. When I opened my first Gary’s Hamburgers restaurant in 1984 in North Augusta, I never thought, in a million years, that the federal government

Read More »
Neil Gordon September 10, 2021 No Comments
B2B Stories

Local business leaders discuss the effects of COVID-19

For better or worse, COVID-19 has affected everyone and every business. While some businesses have struggled, others have flourished. For Robert Kelly (see photo above story) – vice president of Augusta Staffing – the pandemic has made filling open positions a much greater challenge. “A large number of employees are still scared to come to work,” says Kelly. “It’s affected us greatly.” He explains some companies that hire through Augusta Staffing don’t require masks or social distancing, which makes some employees feel so uncomfortable, they quit their jobs. As a

Read More »
Josh Heath September 10, 2021 No Comments
Closings

Employee shortage forces closure of one Gary’s location

Saturday is the last day to enjoy a fresh biscuit with meat or handmade 1\3rd or 2\3rd pound angus beef hamburger at one of Gary’s better performing  locations on Wheeler Road, next to the Circle K. “We have no choice, but to shut it down,” said owner, Gary Gibson. The store’s been open for 10 plus years according to Gibson. His long-time manager decided to retire leaving Gibson with less than five employees remaining and an opportunity to end his lease. “This has nothing to do with volume—other than our

Read More »
Neil Gordon September 9, 2021 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Ice cream franchise joins growing CSRA community

The explosive growth in Grovetown and success of Culver’s and Meadows Original Frozen Custard may have inspired Cold Stone Creamery to start mixing up flavors in their 3rd story. Jordan Trotter Commercial Real Estate represented Cold Stone Creamery and says it is the first of more tenants to sign on to be part of a new strip center built in the Gateway Square shopping center near I-20 in Grovetown and across from Wal-Mart. Cold Stone will operate a 1500 square foot store, leaving 4500 more square feet to rent. Other

Read More »
Neil Gordon September 9, 2021 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Military family settles in CSRA, opens retail/production center

The busy holiday pet season is helping to spur on Bretta Farina’s puppy pet-collar growth plan, accelerated by hard-working women. She’s just moved into a 2500 square foot space at 261 Meredian Drive in Grovetown across from the Wal-Mart near Gateway Square. DC Lawrence Real Estate represented Farina’s Puddle Jumper business in the lease. Farina will be opening part of the space as a retail store and using leftover space for production. Farina’s husband is a military veteran and they moved to Augusta so he could accept a position with

Read More »
Neil Gordon September 9, 2021 No Comments
Consumer Stories

$100,000 later, Martinez salon is still helping local families

Robyn Kelley says God has called her to serve others, which is why she holds an annual fundraiser that’s donated more than $100,000 to families of sick and injured children. This year will be during another pandemic. The effort and results will still be the same. For more than 10 years, Kelley – owner of Trendz Salon located at 3670 Riverwatch Parkway in Martinez – has held a fundraiser called a cut-a-thon to raise money for these families. (Photo from above is from first event that helped the Asselin family)

Read More »
Josh Heath September 9, 2021 No Comments
Consumer Stories

A taste of Europe in the CSRA

In the past few years so many excellent restaurants have opened in Aiken that it becomes difficult to distinguish oneself with a name. When Lou and Stephanie Giusto (photo above) opened their oasis of flavors at the historic corner of Park Avenue and Laurens Street in Aiken two years ago, their application for an alcohol license was not approved for whiskey. That was fine. The Giustos are wine people anyway, so they named their rather intimate culinary retreat “Solo Vino” which in Italian means “Only Wine.” It’s a sophisticated sounding

Read More »
Stephen Delaney Hale September 8, 2021 No Comments
Load More