Consumer Stories

Consumer Stories

New CSRA BBQ restaurant set to open in former one

Former financial planner Kurt Mueller, who started Ironhead Barbecue with a food truck and catering orders, is opening his first restaurant in the former Pot Smoker BBQ location at 340 Edgefield Road (Highway 25) in North Augusta. Mueller expects to open in August or September and tells ABD he has plans for his food truck as well. “The food truck will still operate a normal schedule until we open. After opening, the food truck will still run, but probably not as frequently. Ideally, I would hire someone to run the

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B2B Stories

Another local transportation group asking for public input

The organization tasked with identifying transportation issues wants to hear what people see as challenges today and for the future. The Augusta Regional Transportation Study (ARTS) focuses on Richmond and Columbia Counties in Georgia and the South Carolina counties of Aiken and Edgefield. It is updating the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) through 2055 with a focus on multimodal transportation projects and priorities. Kaycee Mertz, Vice President and Georgia Planning Lead at engineering company WSP, told members of the Rotary Club of Aiken that they will use data from traffic counts,

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B2B Stories

Putting STEM into action for Augusta’s future

One of Augusta’s selling points is the burgeoning Cyber industry and the development of high-paying jobs in the CSRA. Both buildings of the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center were abuzz with students learning about the ever-growing field of cybersecurity. Cyber Georgia STEMfest brought together 100 students from elementary schools in Georgia and South Carolina. The bi-annual event is a partnership of the Cyber Fusion Innovation Center and the Georgia Cyber Center with sponsors Parsons, Booz Allen Hamilton, SRS Community Reuse Organization, and SteelGate, LLC. Armond Rouillard, SteelGate’s Chief Operating

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B2B Stories

Simon Says: Healthcare and Education Jobs

Employment in the Augusta Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) fell by 100 in March from February. With such a small change in overall employment, it is no surprise that employment changes in different industries were also mostly small. Triple-digit changes in employment were seen in only four industries. Education and health services grew by 262 employees, while mining, logging, and construction grew by 180. Manufacturing employment grew by 105 workers, but since this is March data, it would be hard to suggest the increase is the result of tariff policy. The

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Consumer Stories

New take on training for CSRA jobs

Representatives from educational institutions and metro Augusta businesses, and nonprofit organizations came together for the 2025 Best and Brightest Career and College Expo. Organized by Augusta Business Daily with presenting sponsors Spherion Staffing and Recruiting and Augusta University’s Hull College of Business, it was held in the Snelling Center at the Goodwill of Middle Georgia and the CSRA campus on Washington Road. While the primary goal was to help individuals seeking employment, it also gave participating vendors the opportunity to explain how they can assist prospective job seekers. Melanie McGee,

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B2B Stories

2 Questions for The Dean: How companies benefit from Hull interns?

Last week in our “2 Questions for The Dean” segment, we looked at how interns benefit Hull College of Business interns. This week, Dean Mark Thompson shares why CSRA companies should partner with Hull. ABD: How do Hull College students help some of the companies in the CSRA? HULL: Yeah, so we’re hearing a lot from our internship partners about the value they get from working with the students. One, getting to know our students, getting a trial run to see if this is somebody that we want to employ

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Consumer Stories

Spring into Employment!

Mark your calendar for next week if you or someone you know is job hunting. Augusta Technical College is hosting its Spring 2025 Job Fair on Tuesday, May 6, from 9:00 AM until Noon at Building 13 on campus. Students, recent graduates, and community members are welcome to attend.  The job fair is an opportunity to connect with regional employers, explore career pathways, and expand professional networks. Augusta Tech advises you to come prepared with your résumé and an open mind.

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B2B Stories

Business Leaders Meet Meta

The North Augusta Chamber of Commerce’s April Power Lunch provided the chance for business leaders to meet a new neighbor coming to Aiken County. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and other social media platforms, is building an $800 million data center in the Sage Mill Industrial Park. Laura Warren, Meta’s Community Development Regional Manager, brought the importance of data centers to the personal level. She explained that everything an individual does on their computer or smartphone is processed in a data center to be shared as intended.

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Consumer Stories

Downtown Spring Fest: Great Opportunity to Support Local Businesses

After a week of work, who is ready to spend time with family? The Downtown Spring Fest is coming up Saturday, April 26. The event kicks off at 10:00 AM on West Pine Grove behind Sheila’s Baking Company. More than 70 art and food vendors will be set up, as well as live music. The event is free and highlights North Augusta’s presence in the downtown area. Aside from the many vendors and food trucks, it’s an opportunity to shop local, check out unique stores and restaurants. The Downtown Spring

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Consumer Stories

Neighborhood Tavern Opens in Evans

No joke! Towne Center Tavern opened on April Fool’s Day. No pranks were pulled, but some tasty food was served. The new eatery is located at 7025 Town Center Boulevard in Evans on the second floor of the Meybohm building. Owners Shawn and Katy Ledford aren’t new to the food service business. They own three Mellow Mushroom franchises in the CSRA. The first opened in Augusta in 2003, and two more were added in Evans and Augusta. “We were just going around and eating out in the Evans area and

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