Restaurants/Food

Consumer Stories

Popular Breakfast/Lunch spot replacing failed restaurant

Aiken’s O’Charley’s closed, and now we know which restaurant is opening there, as well as a key position it is hiring for. First Watch, known for its breakfast, brunch, and lunch, will be opening there this fall and is looking for a restaurant manager at $65,000 per year plus perks and possible bonuses. The restaurant will seat nearly 200 people, including its patio, which is significantly larger than the always crowded First Watch in West Augusta by Sprouts. Its location is 168 South Aiken Lane by Whiskey Road and across

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Consumer Stories

2nd restaurant opens in new West Augusta location

If Trenton Andrews (center) looks a little tired, it’s easy to understand why. He camped out since 9:30 Wednesday night in advance of Thursday morning’s grand opening of the second Surcheros Tex Mex restaurant in Augusta. Andrews is one of the first 50 customers to win an entrée per week for an entire year. “I’ve been eating at Surcheros since I was 13,” said the AU Psychology student. That was at the Macon, Georgia, Surcheros. Andrews eats three times a week at the original Augusta location of Surcheros on Washington

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Consumer Stories

Supermarket provides large check today

This morning at 9, the Golden Harvest Food Bank and families will benefit from a big donation that will buy a lot of fresh produce and staples. For the first time, the program will serve families in South Carolina, and preregistration is no longer required.  Summer Harvest program is returning for its third year with expanded reach and fewer barriers for families. The $40,000 grant from Food Lion is part of its Summers Without Hunger program, which supports distributions across Golden Harvest’s South Carolina service area. Food Lion leadership will also

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Consumer Stories

10th Anniversary of CSRA Food Market

A market Southwest of Augusta is getting set to celebrate 10 years of being the “go-to” spot for many customers who are in a food desert and like a local butcher and hometown feel. Gibson is home to the Hometown Market and owned and operated by Fred and Rachel DeLoach, who both retired from the postal service. They started in the parking lot here as a roadside market selling fresh produce and eventually rebuilt a vacant store.  The second piece of equipment purchased was a used ice cream freezer (far

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Awards

Augusta Chef wins Flavor of Georgia award

What started at the farmers market in downtown Augusta has led to huge success for the founder of the Papa Mountain brand of bread rolls. It includes regular appearances on QVC and first place in a competition amongst 180 products. These garlic and herb bread rolls were selected as the winner of the 2026 Flavor of Georgia food product contest grand prize. Solomon Cohen, aka Papa Mountain, is based in Augusta and bakes out of an Atlanta production facility. “What started nine years ago in Ziplock bags and farmers markets

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B2B Podcasting

Huge grand opening for one restaurant; another one planned soon

One of the largest CSRA ribbon cuttings in recent memory kicked off a big weekend for a new West Augusta restaurant, while its neighbor to the far left expects to open within a few weeks. Dave’s Hot Chicken leaders told Augusta Business Daily its soft opening did very well the day before, on Thursday, March 28th. With a nod to the upcoming Masters tournament, DHC provided a golf simulator (far right) and a mystery envelope giveaway for the first 500 guests on Friday. During the weekend, several schools, first responders,

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Consumer Stories

Fat Man’s Hospitality Grows Again

ABD’s learned that the Fat Man’s Hospitality Group is trying to open Bradley’s BBQ around May 1st and then begin plans to open a new event center. These are just a few nuggets learned while putting together THIS video on Brad Usry, that played at the Junior Achievement Hall of Fame ceremony last week.  If you used to go to Fat  Man’s Forest, you HAVE to watch this for some old-time video and photos.

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B2B Stories

All I know about the Trader Joe’s Deal in Evans

The worst-kept secret in the CSRA is that Trader Joe’s is expected to build a standalone store directly behind the Columbia County Performing Arts Center, with the building facing North Belair Road. Cal Wray, the leader of the Augusta Economic Development Authority, says Trader Joe’s even looked in Richmond County a while back and decided against it. He says that Columbia County officials not being specific on active projects is not unusual. He doesn’t comment until there is a signed agreement. A Columbia County spokesperson said, not only is the

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Consumer Stories

Wingstop adds another location

Super Bowl Sunday was a huge day for Wingstop in the CSRA. The chicken franchise is growing again and adding a new location in the same plaza as Jimmy John’s and Fresh Market. They are building out a store at a shopping center at 1408 Whiskey Road in Aiken. Hungry folks will have a choice of classic and boneless wings with signature flavors like Lemon Pepper, Cajun, and Hickory Smoked BBQ. Wingstop is closing in on 10 locations in Richmond, Columbia, and Aiken counties. Jordan Trotter Commercial Real Estate represented Wingstop.

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Consumer Stories

Miami connection to new Augusta restaurant

The owners of the new El Tejano Latin Cuisine Express have a connection to Miami, Florida, and are bringing bold flavors and a mashup of Latin culture. The restaurant is expected to open soon in the former I Heart Mac N Cheese at 826 Cabela Drive. The shuttered restaurant closed in the fall of 2025. Thanks to the Village at Riverwatch commercial realtor Jordan Trotter for the photo/art above and the heads up.  El Tejano fancies itself as a fast casual restaurant, and according to the JT newsletter, “promises crave-worthy

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