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Consumer Stories
Consumer Stories

Simon Says: Big job losses in Augusta’s government sector

The good news is the Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) didn’t see any overall job loss. The bad news is the drop in local, state, and federal jobs in our region. Overall, employment was flat at 253,700, although some sectors saw large job losses. The biggest job losses were seen in the government sector. Local government shed 425 workers in August. State employment fell by almost 300, and the federal sector lost 100 jobs. Even private education and health services lost 225 jobs. Mining, logging, and construction (MLC) and manufacturing both

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Dr. Simon Medcalfe, AU Hull College of Business Economics Professor September 29, 2026 No Comments
B2B Stories

Good Deeds: Meta offering new grant program

Meta is accepting applications for a new program to distribute grants in communities where the company has a data center, including Aiken County. The Meta data center is under construction in the Sage Mill Industrial Park. Target completion is 2027. The Future is for Everyone Fund will accept applications through Oct. 19th for proposals to address critical issues in each community where the data center is located. Meta declined a request for an interview from ABD but provided the following statement. “We created the Future is for Everyone Fund to

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Dana Lynn McIntyre September 29, 2026 No Comments
B2B Stories

New pathway for the healthcare workforce in the CSRA

One of the gold standards of working in the CSRA includes a position in the medical field at a local hospital, doctor’s office, or healthcare facility. A first-ever undergraduate degree program is being developed for Augusta University’s School of Public Health (SPH) to increase interest in the field.  Launched just three years ago, SPH’s goal is to promote healthy populations across Georgia. The new degree is a Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH). “The work of public health professionals strengthens communities, addresses health challenges, and improves the quality of

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Dana Lynn McIntyre with photos by Michael Holahan September 28, 2026 No Comments
B2B Stories

Military Monday: Listen More, Talk Less

Last month, I wrote about suicide and the impact it left on families, friends, battle buddies, service members, and Veterans in the CSRA. As we recognize September as Suicide Prevention Month nationally, I believe the conversation must continue. This month, my message is simple: Listen more. Talk less. Sometimes people don’t need us to fix everything. They don’t need a lecture, a judgment, or an immediate solution. Sometimes, they simply need someone willing to sit with them, listen, and remind them that they don’t have to carry everything alone. We are living in

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Africa Thomas MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, CME, CCM September 28, 2026 No Comments
B2B Stories

Local retailer bringing $60,000 to local schools

This afternoon, a local convenience store chain is helping three area school districts to set up their students to succeed. The event is set to launch outside the Enterprise Mill Events & Catering facility in downtown Augusta. Parker’s Kitchen is bringing $60,000 to divide among superintendents from Richmond, Columbia, and Aiken counties. It’s part of their Fueling the Community Program in which Parker’s donates a portion of all gas sold the first Wednesday of each month at their CSRA locations. It’s the 50th Anniversary for Parker’s Kitchen, and since the

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Neil Gordon September 28, 2026 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Update on Chick-fil-A in Evans and more

The Adams family operates this Chick-fil-A at Mullins Crossing in Evans and is now planning to open another location. ABD learned that they interviewed and were chosen to operate the next Chick-fil-A on the west side of the Riverwood Shopping Center. A groundbreaking will be the next step, and with construction, the restaurant is expected to open in about a year. The stores are about 5 miles apart, and the new one will be more convenient for residents coming from Appling and subdivisions in Riverwood and the William Few Parkway.

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Neil Gordon September 25, 2026 No Comments
B2B Stories

One of Swankiest retail locations up for lease

A large 2500 plus square foot retail location next to Brinkley’s Chop House, SRP Park, and across from the Crowne Plaza Hotel in North Augusta is ready for a new tenant.   “We’ve closed the North Augusta store. It was very successful, and we had plenty of staff who enjoyed working there, said Swank co-owner, Rafy Bassali.  Bassali purchased his core, legacy Swank store in Surrey Center in 2014, followed by the opening of the Riverwood location in 2021 and the building in 2024 of another Swank in West Lake Commons,

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Neil Gordon September 25, 2026 No Comments
Closings

1 of 2 Cookie Franchisees Close Store

Sometimes in business, the owner’s efforts are not enough to save a store from closing. That’s just how the cookie crumbles. After three years, the Crumbl franchise closed at 826 Cabela Drive, Suite 2, in the Villages at Riverwatch across from Costco. Four years ago, a different Crumbl franchise opened in the Mullins Colony Shopping Center to record-breaking success.  It is still open for business. The previous franchisee told ABD that some weeks the Evans store was the #1 store in the U.S. Click here for more on that part

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Neil Gordon September 24, 2026 No Comments
B2B Stories

Companies need a deep bench to flourish

Key to the success of any CSRA business is the team behind it. The challenge for business owners is building and nurturing the team. The September Third Thursday Business Builder, sponsored by the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce, was “Pouring Into Your People – Building Your Bench.” Jennifer Murphy (Founder of Inspire & Transform Consulting) and Roxanne Hyer (Founder of Hyer Education LLC) led the program. Murphy said business leaders face tremendous responsibilities leading their company. “But at the end of the day it is about inspiring others to dream

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Dana Lynn McIntyre September 23, 2026 No Comments
B2B Stories

Economic Development Leaders talk data, automotive, and future jobs

The Columbia County Chamber of Commerce’s recent Future Forward: A CSRA Development Summit was an opportunity to learn about economic development, both short-term and long-term. Among the panelists was Cheney Eldridge, director of the Economic Development Authority of Columbia County. She was chosen for the position in February 2024. She recalled speaking at her first Future Forward summit and saying the county had the potential for billions of dollars in new investments. “At the time, we thought it was going to be somewhere around $2 billion, and now we’re looking

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Dana Lynn McIntyre September 22, 2026 No Comments
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