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Retail
B2B Stories

Simon Says: Trend for retail spaces in the CSRA

Service-based tenants leased over half of the total retail space in 2025 for the first time, according to CoStar.  There are a few examples in local shopping centers. (See below) Crunch Fitness replaced the goods-based Bed Bath & Beyond in the Augusta Exchange shopping center. In the Village Plaza at 270 Bobby Jones Expressway, a former Electronics and Appliance store is getting replaced with a service provider. Nail salons and Botox (medical) bars are also increasingly located in retail real estate. These trends show up in local employment numbers for

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Dr. Simon Medcalfe, AU Hull College of Business Economics Professor March 31, 2026 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Upscale retailer moving into high-end plaza

Swank will have a new neighbor this summer in Evans. It’s a retail shop the owners are quite familiar with. The third Posh Tots children’s boutique is 1300 square feet and will open next to Swank in the shopping center with anchor store Publix at 5117 Washington Road, outside of Riverwood. It replaces the Madison Julia hair salon, which closed. The Bassali family owns both Posh Tots and Swank, and has paired them together before. Posh Tots and Swank are also part of that newish West Lake Commons shopping center.

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Neil Gordon March 27, 2026 No Comments
B2B Stories

March Mini-MBA: Good Service vs. Bad Service

Publisher’s Note: There are so many reasons to love what Chick-fil-A does. The Gordons go to the Mullins Crossing location weekly. I found this photo from 2 years ago! From the time I get “in line” until I have the food, it’s maybe 10 minutes! Great food. Great service. Every time. RICK: As consumers visiting an establishment for a service, we often find ourselves waiting in line. Whether it is at a drive-thru for a fast food restaurant, placing an order at a fast casual restaurant, checking out at the

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Dr. Rick Franza, Professor, AU Hull College of Business March 26, 2026 No Comments
Consumer Stories

New retailer opening in Artist Row before Masters

Thalia & Company is opening in the lower left suite at 1022 Broad Street in downtown Augusta, joining Freshwater Design Company. (Photo from LoopNet real estate service prior to this new development) Thalia & Company is opening a residential interior design storefront.  The studio offers a curated selection of home goods and professional design services.  The shop features custom furnishings, thoughtfully selected décor, and wallpaper services through a partnership with Mai Wallpaper Lady.

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Neil Gordon March 16, 2026 No Comments
B2B Stories

Major changes in DT Augusta begin this year, thanks to agencies’ collaboration

A portion of the 2017 tourism plan is progressing in 2026, thanks to “Augusta 2035: Blueprint for Action.” It is Augusta Tomorrow’s vision project to grow both Augusta and North Augusta with big input from Destination Augusta. Jennifer Bowen, Chief Strategy Officer, SVP, & Film Commissioner for Destination Augusta, told ABD they are excited about the plan. “We’ve had an opportunity, actually, to be involved in it from the very beginning,” she said. “Bennish (Brown, President and CEO of Destination Augusta) first had an opportunity to serve on the committee

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Dana Lynn McIntyre March 16, 2026 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Two retailers opening in shopping center in Martinez

A clothing boutique and spa are moving into a popular shopping center on Furys Ferry Road near the Publix Supermarket.  Forevermore is replacing Garden City Pet in The Centre at Furys Ferry. Kennedy Nine Sammons, the boutique owner, is relocating to the Centre from a shopping center on South Belair Road and is currently doing a moving sale of her curated fashion pieces. Her business is a tribute to her late grandfather, who inspired her entrepreneurial spirit.  (See ABD’s second anniversary story from last August) Joining Forevermore is Face to Face

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Neil Gordon March 13, 2026 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Retailer holds moving sale as it relocates to smaller store

HobbyTown is moving across town for the second time in three years. This major downsizing in the next few weeks will result in a move to one of the newest shopping centers in the CSRA. The leisure retailer is moving into the Davis Square Shopping Center, which will now be 75% occupied, according to Jordan Trotter Commercial Realty, which handles the leasing in the center. HobbyTown will be next to the Back Nine golf simulator experience and near Baldino’s Giant Jersey Subs.  What’s significant is that it is moving into

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Neil Gordon February 27, 2026 No Comments
B2B Stories

EXCLUSIVE: Grocery/Retail Center Hinges on many moving parts

A home at 8101 Sir Galahad Drive, across from the Evans Post Office and Regions Bank, is one of the complex deal points of a proposed commercial development. The Columbia County Chamber has owned that property for more than 10 years, and developers are hoping for a better result with commissioners than the Chamber had. The Chamber purchased the home on the right for $177,000 in the summer of 2015 with the intention of renovating the property as their corporate office. It was and is currently zoned residential. Back then,

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Photos and Article by Neil Gordon February 18, 2026 No Comments
B2B Stories

CSRA retailer expands on Georgia Avenue

There are not many things that go better with ice cream than children with their favorite toys! The Orange Otter Toy Store just expanded on Georgia Avenue and moved its store just a few blocks away, and close to a North Augusta family tradition.  They were in the same center as South State Bank and adjacent to Gary’s Hamburgers on Georgia Avenue. Orange Otter is now next to the Pink Dipper ice cream shop at 507 Georgia Avenue. Aubrey Hickson, store owner, says the new location is 1600 square feet

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Neil Gordon February 13, 2026 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Retailer growing near Augusta Mall

Besides the Augusta Mall, there is some growth going on in the outskirts of the mall. One longtime retailer and community partner expanded efforts in that area by re-imagining some space. Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia retrofitted its 3362 Wrightsboro Road retail store to form a dedicated donation center. The next step is that Goodwill officials are scouting out a new retail spot in the same vicinity. January 29 marked the final day of retail operations. “This transition allows us to continue serving the community while we prepare for what’s next,”

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Neil Gordon February 3, 2026 No Comments
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