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Restaurants/Food
B2B Stories

Food Truck Heaven in the CSRA

The pedestrian park and event space at the 5th Street Bridge at Reynolds Street should be pretty packed this weekend for Foodie Fest, which is expected to be the biggest economic impact driver in November. According to Destination Augusta and the Augusta Sports Council, about 80,000 visitors will be trying out unique food from up to 100 food vendors. The economic impact is expected to be almost $1.4 million. The following week and weekend, the Georgia School Counselor Association and the Head of the South Regatta are expected to bring in

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Neil Gordon November 3, 2026 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Barbershop NOT Closing as Bakery Opens on Property

A bakery will be joining a longtime barbershop in Martinez in the same center. Russell’s Corner Barber Shop had been next to McDonald’s at the corner of Washington Road and Davis for more than 35 years. Soon, the Suga’ Buzz Bakery will open there. The owners spent almost 20 years perfecting thousands of cakes from a home kitchen, while selling them at local venues. She posted in a Columbia County FB group that she’ll invite a few other entrepreneurs to share her space. Expect old-fashioned, custom cakes with edible decorations

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Neil Gordon October 29, 2026 No Comments
Consumer Stories

County Delayed in Announcing Trader Joe’s Application

While Columbia County Economic Development leaders wait for Trader Joe’s to formalize its transaction to build in Evans, ABD is learning more details about the timing of TJ’s application and the size of the store IF the deal closes. On Tuesday, October 19th, Columbia County Commission Chairman Doug Duncan announced Trader Joe’s completed its construction permit application. A review of the document indicates that initial engineering and structural reports were filed on behalf of TJ’s before September 14th. TJ’s contractor Scott Belcher, from Atlanta-based Belcher Construction, completed his application 10

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Neil Gordon October 26, 2026 No Comments
B2B Stories

Additional Info on that Trader Joe’s deal

Wait! Hold off on your Trader Joe’s Dill Pickle Hummus craving… for now. The deal between the Columbia County Economic Development Authority and representatives has NOT closed yet—even though a construction permit has been applied for by the grocer. “The transaction should close any day now,” said Cheney Eldridge, Executive Director of the Columbia County Economic Development Authority.  As ABD first told you back in February, the plan is for Trader Joe’s to build on this 3 + acre property in between U.S. Battery on North Belair Road and the

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Neil Gordon October 22, 2026 No Comments
Closings

Cabela Drive Crumbl not alone in business closing

This photo caption from a media outlet outside of the CSRA is similar to others nationally. ABD first told you the Crumbl cookie shop across from Costco in Augusta had closed. We’re now learning that the entire brand is crumbling a bit.    According to the industry association Restaurant Business, 57 Crumbl locations closed in 2026, and 55 other franchises are up for sale. Why? According to a deep dive by USA Today Newspaper cookie store sales were 70% lower nationwide in Augusta than in June. The 2017 co-founders of Crumbl

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Neil Gordon October 19, 2026 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Restaurant takes over closed coffee shop in CSRA

Have you had oxtail or curry goat before? If not, perhaps you’ve had jerk chicken. A new Caribbean restaurant is now open, complete with a coffee drive-through. The Jerk House is now open, serving small and large plates generally in the $11.00 to $23.00 range, including Jerk Chicken Pasta, Jerk Pork, Stew Chicken, Fried Chicken, and more. The restaurant replaced Café Dulce, which lasted about three years, in a new building that featured a second level, a side patio upstairs, and a drive-through. All are being used for the Jerk

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Neil Gordon October 16, 2026 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Interesting Grand Opening for Dessert Shop

ABD first told you about plans for Paris Baguette to open sweet shops in Evans and Aiken, and now the first store is open. The Evans location next to the Cava Mediterranean food restaurant is open. Parking could be a challenge for both of those popular eateries in front of Mullins Colony on Washington Road in Evans. Some patrons may need to park in the shopping center and walk over. Thanks to members of Let’s Talk Augusta and Augusta Business Connection for first posting photos and word of the opening.

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Neil Gordon October 15, 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
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
Consumer Stories

2 Restaurant Cafes getting closer to opening its doors

It’s been a few months since this banner went up introducing YABA Mediterranean Grill to Evans in the same shopping center as Shane’s BBQ and NY Butcher Shoppe. Let’s Talk Augusta first talked this up and got some interesting comments, including these two from some incredulous female connoisseurs of dining out. “There will literally be 3 Mediterranean restaurants within a mile of each other,” and “How many Mediterranean restaurants do we need in Evans?” Laziza’s first location is in the Publix shopping center in Evans, and CAVA restaurant recently opened

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Neil Gordon September 22, 2026 No Comments
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