Retail

Kay Castro wants to take some of the hassle out of buying and selling items online, which has become an increasingly popular way to shop and earn money. Castro – owner of Martinez Drop located at 472 Flowing Wells Road, J4 behind Farmhaus Burger in Martinez, allows online sellers to drop off their items at her warehouse, and buyers pick up those items from her. Sales are generally conducted through the business’ Facebook group, and she charges a 10% fee for all items sold and picked up at Martinez Drop.

Bretta Farina launched her custom dog collar business to make a living and provide flexible job opportunities for women. Farina – owner and founder of Puddle Jumper Pups, started her online business nine years ago and estimates she’s sold about 1 million collars so far. “When my husband joined the military, I needed a job, too,” says the Tennessee native and mother of two. “I needed an income, and it needed to be flexible.” Next spring, she will open her first storefront, located at 261 Meridian Drive near Aldi and

A local entrepreneur is celebrating her fourth anniversary in business by hosting a pop-up event in downtown Augusta. Jasmine Ryans – owner and founder of an elegant plant-based skincare company called Soul(tre) Natural, will hold the event on Sunday, Sept.19 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Augusta & Co. located at 1010 Broad St. near Pineapple Ink Tavern. Attendees will have the opportunity to see live demonstrations with models and shop for the company’s toxin-free products, which include moisturizing creams and facial cleansers. According to a news release issued

Big Lots is spreading its’ savings evenly between both sides of the Savannah River with word that the discounter is taking a corner, anchor spot in the Silver Bluff Commons Shopping Center. That is located at the corner of Silver Bluff Road and Pine Log Road. Big Lots will join current tenants including: Nail Palace, MAU, H & R Block, Mi Pueblo Mexican Grill and Vinyl Tyme. This is the second Big Lots in South Carolina in our market with the store at 406 E. Martintown Road in North Augusta.

Marcella’s Cigars is out and Postal Annex (see above left) is in. The old adage seems to be “you snooze, you lose” is fitting with the rate of speed in which vacancies are being turned into new tenants at either the Riverwood Plantation Shopping Center, owned by Echo Realty/leased by Jordan Trotter Commercial Real Estate (the part connected to Publix). “We have Swank going into the former Madison’s Closet space and Vampire Penguin (ice cream/dessert shop) which is going into the (former White House) dry cleaner space,” said DJ Snead,

Location. Location. Location. Co-owners Jessica Baskette and Jennifer Grubbs of Lace and Veil Bridal Boutique carefully picked the storefront to open this November. It’s in the Petersburg Shoppes at 500 Furys Ferry Road, just a few doors from “Final Cut” (former site of Bi-Lo). “We are in love with our location for a number of reasons. We are nestled in the heart of Columbia County and surrounded by other great, small business owners. Also, our brides will find it easy to locate our boutique,” said Ms. Grubbs. Jordan Trotter Commercial

Last Halloween was more timid than usual in the CSRA—with some families not participating or others leaving buckets of candy unattended at the front door—due to Covid19. The spread of the Delta variant of Covid isn’t stopping the Spirit Halloween store chain. The next local store is set to open at the Augusta Mall. Spirit is replacing the Charming Charlie’s store, a closed woman’s boutique at the Mall. The grand opening is planned for this Friday, two full months before the big day on October 31st. Another Spirit store is

A variety of new retail and construction businesses are coming to North Augusta. Brighter Side Roofing – founded in 2002 – plans to open a second location at 726 Edgefield Road in North Augusta, according to Samuel Leverette, the business’s owner. “We hope to break ground on construction by the end of the year,” says Leverette. “It’s no rush.” He explains Brighter Side previously had a location off West Avenue in North Augusta for seven years “Until we outgrew that location.” Leverette says he’s currently trying to find a general

DJR’s Water Ice Company is moving into one side of the shopping center outside of the Riverwood subdivision. Less than 50 yards away in a different part of the center, Vampire Penguin’s Shaved Snow and Desserts is also getting ready to open. Next to DJR’s is Ocean Nails. Near Vampire Penguin is Sky Nail Salon. How could this happen? Both ends of the shopping center are owned and managed by different companies and even called by different names—one the Market at Riverwood and the other the Riverwood Town Center. That