Top Story

B2B Stories

Military-themed restaurant opens in Evans

The O’Neil’s, a pair of military veterans, are the nation’s first franchisee of the Rally Point Grille concept, originally developed by another military family in Woodstock, Georgia. Yesterday, Fast Signs of Augusta put up the sign and the O’Neil’s and their staff got trained on food preparation. Rally Point is in the same shopping center as Shane’s Rib Shack and across from the Evans Wal-Mart. Their hours are 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. this week to get everyone acclimated. Food is hearty, American fare including burgers, meatloaf, grilled cheese, braised

Read More »
B2B Stories

Developing cyber skills gets a jump start

Students from Georgia and South Carolina are spending this week learning from the experts about all things cyber. One of three scheduled CyberPatriot Camp 2023 sessions kicked off Monday at the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center in Augusta and Aiken Technical College. The middle and high school students come from the seven-county Augusta Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). Dr. Tom Clark of the Alliance for Fort Gordon, which is one of the coordinators, says students apply to participate in the camp. They receive about 100 applications and choose students to

Read More »
Consumer Stories

New eatery to replace long-time chicken restaurant

Bill and Melissa Hoard will soon open a new restaurant in a well-known Columbia County location, and countless people have already stopped by that location to find out when it will open. The couple has renovated the former Maryland Fried Chicken, located at 6008 Clarks Hill Road at Pollard’s Corner in Appling and are replacing it with Granddaddy’s Kitchen, an eatery that will specialize in Southern cuisine. “We’ve wanted to open a restaurant here forever,” Melissa said. “We are the talk of the community; everybody wants us to open.” But

Read More »
ABD Extra

South Augusta’s surge in development: Part two

A quiet explosion of economic development has been underway in South Richmond County, $3.2 billion in all. A long-time plant has expanded, another major new manufacturing plant is under construction and two other companies are expected to start construction in the months ahead. All are in the Augusta Corporate Park on Mike Padgett Highway. But, two things are lacking outside of the I-520 perimeter, a pool of trained workers and sufficient new housing units to attract employees at the plants to move into Richmond County. Cal Wray, President of the

Read More »
B2B Stories

Palmetto Industries break ground at Horizon South Industrial Park

A long-time tenant in Columbia County’s Horizon South Industrial Park in Grovetown is ready to grow. Palmetto Industries broke ground Thursday, on the first phase of a two-phase expansion project. ”We’re excited to be here,” Chamber President and CEO, Russell Lahodny said. “It’s not every day that we get to do these things. So, when we get to do a groundbreaking, it’s pretty impressive.” The new phases are being built alongside the company’s existing facility on Horizon West Parkway. It will add 50,000 square feet of new office, factory, and

Read More »
B2B Stories

Columbia County Chamber of Commerce holds military appreciation event

The Columbia County Chamber of Commerce used its June Executive Luncheon series to begin a new tradition, with more than 250 people attending the chamber’s inaugural Military Appreciation event at Savannah Rapids Pavilion. Russell Lahodny, President and CEO of the chamber, said there are two reasons the organization wanted to begin the event. First, to honor the men and women stationed at Fort Gordon who serve America and secondly, to acknowledge the tremendous economic impact the Army post has on the local economy. “Our business community thrives off of our

Read More »
B2B Stories

Business Institute covers the basics for success

Want to reach more customers, get the latest scoop on social media strategies, or how to brand your business? The Columbia County Chamber of Commerce is offering the “Business Institute,” a series of workshops to provide members and the business community with resources to help them be successful. “It’s an opportunity for us to bring in someone to speak to our Chamber members, mostly for smaller businesses, for them to learn new skills, learn about hot topics for the year, or maybe touch on problem areas that small businesses might

Read More »
B2B Stories

New life for historic James Brown buildings in downtown

New life and purpose are being breathed into three vacant buildings just off Telfair Street in Augusta. The three buildings, at 501, 509, and 513 James Brown Boulevard were built near the turn of the 20th century. Research by Historic Augusta found they have been empty since the early 1990’s. Developer, Brendon Steffes says the old warehouse-type structures will be transformed into 22 apartment units, but will retain the feel of the history of the structures. “If you’re looking at the first floor, you have beautiful storefront windows. And then

Read More »
ABD Extra

South Augusta’s surge in development: Part one

South Augusta is having a surge of economic development, $3.2 billion worth of economic development to be exact, that few people have seen. Some of the largest companies will be in the Augusta Corporate Park off Mike Padgett Highway. The park is a “Georgia Ready for Accelerated Development (GRAD) Certified” site. One plant, Starbucks, has been in operation since July 2012 as the first company-owned facility to produce soluble products. Those are used in Starbucks via instant and the coffee base for many of the Starbucks bottled and canned beverages.

Read More »
B2B Stories

Florida-based company continues CSRA project

A new tenant coming to the Augusta Corporate Park off Mike Padgett Highway has the green light to close on the property designated for the project. PureCycle Technologies, Inc., a Florida-based company that converts #5 plastic waste to a renewable resource, announced it has received approval from the Augusta Economic Development Authority (AEDA) to proceed to closing on the project site. The approval preserves financial and tax incentives offered to the company and allows it to move forward with development. “This approval is the result of several months of hard

Read More »