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Consumer Stories

Simon Says: CSRA home construction going “through the roof”

Construction permits to build homes in Augusta are at a 15-month high! Residential construction permits in June increased slightly and are at the highest level since March 2025. More than 300 permits have been pulled each month since February 2026, compared to just 4 months over the whole of 2025.  Other indicators had a positive June. The Dow Jones Industrial Average continued its climb on the back of strong quarterly profits for firms. Inflation in the South declined to 3.2% from 3.9% in May despite higher oil and gas prices. 

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Dr. Simon Medcalfe, AU Hull College of Business Economics Professor August 25, 2026 No Comments
Consumer Stories

CSRA program addresses construction needs

The construction business is booming in Augusta, and companies need help. That’s where Construction Ready and the Home Builders Institute (HBI) come in to offer a pre-apprenticeship training program in Augusta.  This year’s efforts are wrapping up on September 9th after an eight-week construction education program.  Participants are receiving hands-on training, earning credentials, and getting connected directly to job placement opportunities upon completion.  There is a high need for skilled workers across Georgia as more workers are retiring than entering the workforce. Closing this “skills gap” and educating more people

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Neil Gordon August 25, 2026 No Comments
B2B Stories

Evans Fitness sells club to Atlanta area leader; expansion plans

Evans Fitness is now Fitness2020 with major expansion plans in the CSRA. Letters went out to the thousands of members last week. Clients will be grandfathered into Fitness2020’s Elite membership at no extra cost. Evans members will be able to use facilities at the McDonough, Smyrna, East Lake, and other locations. Fitness2020 made two major announcements in its communication with members. “Your 60,000 sq ft club in Evans will be receiving $2 million in renovations and brand-new equipment, elevating the facility even further while keeping the strong community and training experience

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Neil Gordon August 24, 2026 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Update on supermarket in CSRA

There’s been some confusion as to whether the popular “Trader Joe’s” will follow through on developing a store in Evans. An avid ABD reader in the commercial real estate space said he spotted this article, which did NOT have Trader Joe’s on the future list of stores. ABD reached out to Nakia Rohde, the communications lead for Trader Joe’s, headquartered in California. “We still have plans for a store in Evans. We do not yet have a location to share. There is no mention of an Evans store in that

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Neil Gordon August 24, 2026 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Local realtor merges with Meybohm

Meybohm just got bigger and says its market share is now well over double the share of its closest competitor. VanderMorgan Real Estate is joining forces with Meybohm and will bring its 25+ real estate professionals with them, including broker Justin Bolin, who helped to start VanderMorgan Realty in 2008. The office had been anchored at the corner of Washington Road and Pleasant Home. According to Meybohm, it generates more than $1.3 billion in annual sales each year.  “We couldn’t be more excited about welcoming Justin and the entire VanderMorgan

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Neil Gordon August 21, 2026 No Comments
B2B Stories

Inaugural event to help businesses build teamwork

For the Augusta Sports Council, sports equal fun and big business. Now the organization wants to help businesses, big and small, to tap into the fun. The council has announced its major fundraising event for this fall. The Big Recess calls on businesses to participate in a one-day athletic challenge. It will provide friendly competition along with promoting teamwork and networking among the businesses. Michelle Pippin, the council’s CEO, told ABD this inaugural event welcomes teams from businesses of all sizes to compete against companies of comparable size. “We have

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Dana Lynn McIntyre August 21, 2026 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Corporation of the Year Donates $1 Million

Augusta business leaders and philanthropists Allan and Ursula Soto have committed $1 million to support the Kisner Foundation & Friends Pediatric Development, Behavioral Health & Wellness Center at Wellstar Golisano Children’s Hospital of Georgia. The Soto’s founded Vinea Capital, the Augusta-based private investment firm. Vinea is the 2025 Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce Corporation of the Year. Vinea’s portfolio includes ABLE Kids, which provides ABA, speech, and occupational therapy services to young children with autism across Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina, helping expand access to developmental and behavioral healthcare for

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Neil Gordon August 20, 2026 No Comments
B2B Stories

Lessons Learned in CSRA from decisions in Michigan

Publisher’s Note: There is a cautionary tale at the University of Michigan that can be useful if you have children attending AU, Augusta Tech, USC Aiken, or many other colleges and universities in the region. It’d be easy to snipe at them for their hiring and firing of football coach Sherrone Moore, due to his indiscretions with an assistant. That, however, was a “one-off.” No, there is a deeper issue affecting students that Dr. Rick Franza tackles today involving grades and their future prospects. UM took a step backward last

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Dr. Rick Franza, Professor, AU Hull College of Business August 20, 2026 No Comments
B2B Stories

Business leaders talk transportation and workforce

SRP, Bridgestone, and Aiken Regional, three of the most successful business organizations in the CSRA, sent key people to a panel discussion about future growth issues. The monthly Good Morning North Augusta breakfast featured business leaders Liz Ponder with SRP Federal Credit Union, Chris Hennessee from Bridgestone Aiken PSR, and Victoria Luciano of Aiken Regional Medical Centers. Panel members had three distinctive views ranging from financial services to manufacturing and healthcare. The overall discussion centered on the future needs of South Carolina State House District 83, which covers parts of

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Dana Lynn McIntyre August 18, 2026 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Simon Says: Reduction in Augusta’s workforce

As already reported here in ABD, June employment in the Augusta Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) fell by 300, the first decline since February. But how did other labor market indicators fare in June? How do earnings in Augusta compare with other cities? The unemployment rate fell to 4% from 4.2% in May. This is the lowest unemployment rate since June last year. The employment level can fall while the unemployment rate also declines because those who lose their jobs are no longer looking for work or took jobs outside the

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Dr. Simon Medcalfe, AU Hull College of Business Economics Professor August 18, 2026 No Comments
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