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Consumer Stories
Consumer Stories

Local golf club hosts event next Friday

The restored Jones Creek Golf Course is ready to show off its 18 holes dressed up in a special way next Friday for Halloween Eve. Take a business colleague, golf partner, or family members to enjoy some spooky-good fun at Golden Shot: Halloween Eve on Friday, October 30. Festivities begin as work should be ending for most in the CSRA. Beginning at 4:30 pm. The evening features a Par-3 competition, kids’ chipping challenge, raffles, family-friendly games, live entertainment, food trucks, and the Golden Shot contest with a chance to win a $1,000 grand

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Neil Gordon and Staff Report October 23, 2026 No Comments
B2B Stories

Additional Info on that Trader Joe’s deal

Wait! Hold off on your Trader Joe’s Dill Pickle Hummus craving… for now. The deal between the Columbia County Economic Development Authority and representatives has NOT closed yet—even though a construction permit has been applied for by the grocer. “The transaction should close any day now,” said Cheney Eldridge, Executive Director of the Columbia County Economic Development Authority.  As ABD first told you back in February, the plan is for Trader Joe’s to build on this 3 + acre property in between U.S. Battery on North Belair Road and the

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Neil Gordon October 22, 2026 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Local tutoring studio delays opening due to permitting issues

A nationally franchised music lesson studio got a lesson in the way our local government conducts business. ABD chose not to show a photo of a stop-work order issued by the County on September 23rd, as an inspector’s cellphone number is prominently displayed.  The franchisee of Musicologie failed to obtain permits to begin work on the buildout and had to stop any construction. ABD received a statement from Columbia County yesterday in part that reads:  “In this case, County staff have worked with the business owner to identify the permitting

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Neil Gordon October 21, 2026 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Learning to build and retain a top-notch team

On the short list of challenges faced by all business owners is the need for a trained, steady workforce. The quagmire can be the best practice to solve the problem. The Augusta office of the University of Georgia’s (UGA) Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is offering a workshop to help owners and managers navigate the predicament.  Rebecca Mixson, director of the Augusta office, told ABD they have noticed a shift in the years following the pandemic. For 50 years prior to that, 30% of the population joined the workforce. In

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Dana Lynn McIntyre October 21, 2026 No Comments
B2B Stories

Holiday spending forecast looks green

Retailers in the CSRA and elsewhere should have a successful and profitable holiday shopping season this year. The National Retail Federation (NRF) has released its annual report predicting retail sales during November and December. It anticipates a 4.2% growth over 2025, translating to $1.013 trillion in consumer spending. Last year’s sales rose $972 billion, or 3.1% over 2024. During a recent media briefing, attended by ABD, NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said consumers have consistently demonstrated the importance of holidays and that spending on loved ones remain priorities. “We

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Dana Lynn McIntyre October 20, 2026 No Comments
Closings

Cabela Drive Crumbl not alone in business closing

This photo caption from a media outlet outside of the CSRA is similar to others nationally. ABD first told you the Crumbl cookie shop across from Costco in Augusta had closed. We’re now learning that the entire brand is crumbling a bit.    According to the industry association Restaurant Business, 57 Crumbl locations closed in 2026, and 55 other franchises are up for sale. Why? According to a deep dive by USA Today Newspaper cookie store sales were 70% lower nationwide in Augusta than in June. The 2017 co-founders of Crumbl

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Neil Gordon October 19, 2026 No Comments
B2B Stories

New CSRA company puts up $100,000 in matching funds

Applications are being accepted for grants offered by one of Metro Augusta’s newest financial institutions. There are nearly 20 nominations, but none in the Peach State. There is a key 100-hour period once nonprofits are selected. Palmetto Citizens Foundation, the 501(c)(3) arm of South Carolina-based Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union (PCFCU), is calling on nonprofit organizations to apply for its Fuel the Change campaign. “Fuel the Change is a campaign for us to be able to match funds for five different nonprofits,” foundation executive director Emilie Lewis told ABD. “I

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Dana Lynn McIntyre October 19, 2026 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Restaurant takes over closed coffee shop in CSRA

Have you had oxtail or curry goat before? If not, perhaps you’ve had jerk chicken. A new Caribbean restaurant is now open, complete with a coffee drive-through. The Jerk House is now open, serving small and large plates generally in the $11.00 to $23.00 range, including Jerk Chicken Pasta, Jerk Pork, Stew Chicken, Fried Chicken, and more. The restaurant replaced Café Dulce, which lasted about three years, in a new building that featured a second level, a side patio upstairs, and a drive-through. All are being used for the Jerk

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Neil Gordon October 16, 2026 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Celebrating entrepreneur’s $50 million investment in CSRA

Life will be made a little bit easier for younger patients in Augusta, thanks to a former payroll company executive and philanthropist. The hospital formally recognized the renaming of the hospital to Wellstar Golisano Children’s Hospital of Georgia.  ABD first told you about the $50 million gift at the end of 2025. It remains the largest sum in the history of both Wellstar and the Children’s Hospital. The Wellstar Golisano Children’s Hospital of Georgia cares for children from every county in Georgia and children from neighboring states. The group is,

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Neil Gordon/Staff Report October 16, 2026 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Tiny homes with big hopes

Business and civic leaders pushed for the last 19 months, and now an empty tract that once served as a city park became Augusta’s first tiny home community. A ribbon-cutting was held to mark the opening of 25 tiny homes on Merry Street. They will be used to support teens aging out of foster care with no resources to begin the next phase of their lives.  Dr. Jackson and ShDonna Drumgoole from Bridge Builders Community (BBC) spearheaded development of the village. “We were pushing this rock up the hill, you

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Dana Lynn McIntyre October 16, 2026 No Comments
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