Consumer Stories

Awards/Celebrations

Georgia scores a win from site selection leaders

Georgia’s business climate has received another accolade from a national publication. A news release from Gov. Brian Kemp (R) announced Georgia is the number one state for Best Business Climate. That came from Site Selection Magazine, which conducted a survey of site selection experts. “The Peach State racked up the most votes to dethrone last year’s winner, Texas, for Best Business Climate in the nation. North Carolina finished just behind Georgia in the runner-up spot, followed by South Carolina in third and then Tennessee and Texas in a tie for

Read More »
Consumer Stories

Local Restaurateur Hosts Donation Drive

This month, not only can you eat at Fat Man’s Café, but you can also drop off donations. The Salvation Army of Augusta has partnered with the restaurant for its January Donation Drive, aimed at collecting cleaning products to support The Center of Hope. Throughout January, community members can drop off cleaning products such as laundry detergent, sanitizing sprays, wipes, dish detergent, and paper towels at Fat Man’s Cafe (1450 Greene Street) or any Salvation Army location, including The Center of Hope, The Kroc Center, and Family Stores in South

Read More »
Consumer Stories

Food Lion provides money for charity in need

The Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation just awarded a $10,000 disaster relief grant to an organization that stepped up in the wake of Hurricane Helene’s destruction of the CSRA. In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Helene, The Salvation Army of Augusta prepared and served over 5,000 hot meals to storm victims, offering critical support during one of our region’s most challenging times. The faith-based organization will use the funds specifically to support The Center of Hope Soup Kitchen, where The Salvation Army of Augusta is currently serving an average of 80 residents

Read More »
B2B Stories

Iconic Fast-Food Restaurant Open in CSRA

It’s a long way from here to California. Up until a couple of months ago, you would’ve had to make that trip to sample one of the state’s first fast-food chains. Fosters Freeze opened in Thomson in November at 2447 Cobbham Road and fans were quick to share the news on social media. This is Fosters’ first foray outside of California’s 62 locations. Franchise owner, Deep Takhar has family in Augusta. His sister and brother-in-law own 8 GasPro stations in the CSRA and one in Statesboro. Fosters Freeze is next

Read More »
Consumer Stories

New Entertainment Venue Opens

It’s a New Year and there’s a new entertainment venue inside the White’s Building on 936 Broad Street in downtown Augusta. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights are filled in January with different bands offering smooth R&B, Rock and Roll classics, and other easy listening options. Owner, Marty Koger just hired CEO, Burt Rayburn. “He’s my Chief Entertainment Officer,” joked Koger. This weekend, Rayburn and his bandmates in the group “Olde Towne Gentlemen” will take the stage with their backs to the glass window overlooking Broad Street. “We want the experience

Read More »
Residential Real Estate

Real Talk Real Estate: Spring Into Action: Get Your Home Ready to Sell This Season

As the New Year unfolds, many homeowners begin considering their goals for the months ahead. If selling your home in the spring is on your to-do list, now is the perfect time to start preparing. The spring real estate market is one of the busiest of the year, and getting a head start can help your home stand out among the competition. Here are the key areas to focus on to ensure your property is ready to shine when buyers start their search this spring. 1. Declutter and Organize A

Read More »
Awards/Celebrations

Local Leaders in the Georgia Spotlight

Georgia Trend magazine has released its annual top-of-the-heap leadership list. Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson was recognized as one of the 100 Most Influential leaders in the state. Johnson joins a veritable who’s who in Georgia, including Governor Brian Kemp, James Quincey, CEO of the Coca-Cola Company, Dan Amos, CEO of Aflac, and many other corporate, government, and civic leaders. The magazine staff chose Johnson because of his leadership following the devastation of Hurricane Helene when he sought assistance from federal and state agencies for citizens and businesses to start the

Read More »
Consumer Stories

What happens after hiring an employee?

Much attention is given to the importance of education, training, and apprenticeships to build a workforce pipeline. After an individual is hired, another step comes into focus: mentoring. SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management), a leader in providing experts, research, and advocacy on challenges in the current workplace, said mentorships can be “career-defining and life-changing” in shaping how mentees learn about their chosen field while also learning to network and nurture their career growth. However, SHRM finds mentorships benefit both groups involved. “Mentorship is a win-win situation,” says Adrienne Mitchell,

Read More »
Consumer Stories

Aiken County steps into the future of technology

Data centers are growing in size, location, and scope across the country, and Aiken County is feeling the impact. In late August 2024, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, announced it would build a center in Aiken County’s Sage Mill Industrial Park. Just three months later, Atlanta-based DC Blox said it would build a hyperscale edge node in North Augusta. Those centers are smaller and situated regionally to bring networking power closer to the end user. The North Augusta project is one of four announced by the

Read More »
Consumer Stories

10th Anniversary of Fun Business

A CSRA company is jumping into the New Year with 10th Anniversary celebrations. All Star Jumpers Party Rental is one of the leading providers of inflatable jumpers and party entertainment. The company has grown into a major special events business for birthdays, school events, corporate picnics, community festivals, and more. ASJP provides bounce houses, slides, obstacle courses, and interactive games. “We started with a simple goal: to create fun and memorable experiences for children and families. Over the years, we’ve expanded our services, improved our offerings, and built strong relationships.

Read More »