Restaurants/Food

B2B Stories

Local caterer delivers food with LOL

She grew up in a big family who all had a passion for cooking. At the age of 13, she was helping her grandma cook for various community centers around Augusta. It’s not surprising that Tashia Bailey started a catering business. “Through the years, I also worked in nearly every school cafeteria in Richmond County,” she said. “I’ve also worked at most of the area fast food places and for a while, as the bakery manager at Walmart,” said Bailey. When the pandemic hit, restaurants had to juggle and find

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B2B Stories

Augusta celebrity launches new cookbook tomorrow

It’s a challenge to say anything about Vera Stewart that hasn’t already been said or written. She’s a chef, a caterer, an author, and a star of the syndicated “VeryVera Show” in 43 markets from Minnesota to Texas and back to her southeastern roots. She’s received numerous accolades for the brand she’s built through almost 40 years of hard work. Vera’s success can be attributed in part to her engaging personality, her love for mentoring kids as a Home Economics teacher, and through the VeryVera Cooking Camp she started 20

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Consumer Stories

T’s “re-opening” brings back childhood memories

Edward Carruthers and his friend were one of the first customers last week at the launch of T’s food truck outside their original location on Mike Padgett Highway. Carruthers jumped at the chance to have lunch on Thursday afternoon with his friend. “I was here two or three times a week prior to the fire, “said the Augusta area auto mechanic. His favorite was the boatload salad bar, but he’ll gladly enjoy other T’s delicacies. Carruthers ordered the flounder, with hand-cut fries and T’s famous (oversized) hush puppies for $14.

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B2B Stories

The little kitchen that could…despite health crisis

There are many reasons restaurants or food service businesses face challenges and sometimes fail including lack of experience, not enough capital, or bad food and service. Not one of those applies to Jen Steller, owner of A Steller Kitchen. They’ve been voted as a Top Restaurant in Aiken. “I grew up cooking alongside my mother and grandmother. I wanted to follow my dream and open a restaurant,” Steller said. In 2018, she did just that. It’s a small place at 131 Silver Bluff Road. There are 4 tables for inside

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B2B Stories

As restaurants close…. another expands

Today is “Tie Dye Rosie’s” last day in the Old Evans Plaza, but it’s a new beginning for her neighbors, Jason and Amber Parrish, of Mosh Pit Eats. Both businesses have maintained 5-star Google reviews for years. An ABD reporter remembers when Rosie Mendez started in the mid-90’s at the former Shopper’s World, an indoor mini-mall on Bobby Jones Expressway. It was once a Duffer’s indoor golf, Electrolux’s North American Headquarters, and currently the Central Campus of New Life Church. She moved to Old Evans Plaza 25 years ago. She

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Closings

New development for CSRA restaurant up for sale

About a week ago, we shared the news that a popular roadside café in Williston had decided to close. That decision was part of a comprehensive story about the closing of 25 restaurants in the CSRA. At the time, Almost There Café had a for sale sign in front of the restaurant at 245 White Pond Road. A couple of days later, owner, Dawn Redmon posted on social media with an updated status about the popular eatery. We have not sold the building. I’ve had someone approach me who wants

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Consumer Stories

Supermarket phenom launches new concept in old store

When 28-year-old, Jackson Mitchell, CEO of Jackson Mitchell Holdings, sets his mind to a project, he goes big—even though he knows he can always go home. The 4th generation member of the Alabama-based Mitchell grocery empire currently operates five Little Giant Farmers Market locations in the Atlanta area. His grocery company was named Clayton County Business of the Year. The supermarket phenom chose Augusta to be the flagship store of his “Fresh Take” concept to re-imagine the traditional grocery experience, while creating 130 jobs for Augusta locals around the summer of 2024. He’ll be

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Closings

CSRA restaurant closes for now

Editor’s note: As ABD reported last week, more than 25 restaurants have closed in the past year. It’s a tough business and the reasons vary for shutting the doors. Some had been opened for a year or two, and others like Villa Europa have been serving customers for 50 years. As we reported, they will close but are looking for a new location. There is now yet another restaurant scouting for a new place to call home. Munchie’s Lab served their last meal on Friday, September 15. Their closing date

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Closings

Where have all the restaurants gone?

Editor’s note: This is the second part of stories about restaurant closings in the CSRA. Yesterday, we reported on the upcoming closing of Villa Europa which has served German and Italian cuisine to families for 50 years. Today, we delve into the “why” behind the closings. More than 25 restaurants in the CSRA have closed since this time last year. Some were popular local businesses which served the area for many years, including Betsy’s Round the Corner, DiVino Ristorante Italiano, and The Bee’s Knees. A few were franchises affiliated with

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Closings

50-year-old restaurant in the CSRA will close

Memories have been made between the walls of Villa Europa, from hosting business functions to families for weddings, birthdays, and anniversary celebrations. The stories could fill a book. Now, instead of building on those chapters after almost 50 years in business, it’s now day-by-day for the restaurant known for its German and Italian fare. The family-owned restaurant is in South Augusta at 3044 Deans Bridge Road. Despite all the happy memories, like most buildings of that era, it’s made well, but nothing lasts forever without some TLC. “It would have

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