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Awards/Celebrations

Downtown restaurant gets honor and expands!

The building may be small and unassuming and a bit off the beaten path, but customers love The Brunch House in downtown Augusta. That love poured out so much that Yelp ranked The Brunch House as one of its 100 Top Restaurants in 2022, including restaurants from across the nation. The Brunch House came at No. 5 on the list. It was one of five Georgia restaurants to make the Top 100, but the only one outside the Atlanta area. Yelp created the list by asking “Yelpers” for their favorite

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Gary Kauffman November 29, 2022 No Comments
B2B Stories

Local entrepreneurs plan to launch farm, event space in Columbia County

As an experienced business owner, Cricket Willis has learned that when something doesn’t work out, you pivot and try something different. Willis, owner of Artsy Me, which has locations in Evans and Grovetown, and her husband, Brad, plan to open event space on an 18.9-acre farm at 6297 Cobbham Road in Appling. In June, the couple bought the property, known as B.C. Kabat Farms, for $525,000. The Willises want to convert the barn into an event space for small celebrations with fewer than 50 guests, such as birthday parties and

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Story and photos by Josh Heath November 28, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Mental health treatment center opens in Evans

Many CSRA residents struggle with mental health problems, and it can take weeks or even months to see a psychiatrist. But waiting is no longer necessary, thanks to a new treatment center now open in Columbia County. High Focus Centers just opened a new location at 607 Ponder Place, near Tuscany Spa in Evans that currently offers adult mental health services, such as partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs, according to its Executive Director, Marlea Bodie. High Focus treats patients with a variety of diagnoses, including depression, bipolar disorder, and

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Josh Heath November 27, 2022 No Comments
B2B Stories

Unemployment in CSRA counties slightly above state rates

Citizens of both Georgia and South Carolina are having more success at finding work than in some other states. As of October, the unemployment rate for the United States was 3.7 percent, but both Georgia and South Carolina are doing better; Georgia is at 2.9 percent, and South Carolina is at 3.3 percent. In general, the local economy performs at about the state average. Stacker, an internet news gathering site, recently listed the 50 counties with the highest unemployment rates in each state. The good news for the CSRA is

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Gary Kauffman November 22, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Meybohm celebrates grand opening of new development division location

A major division of a local real estate company now has a new home. Meybohm Real Estate’s development division, known as CSRA Development, has relocated to a new building at 247 Camilla Ave. in Martinez. The company celebrated its grand opening, Thursday, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce. For the last 30 years, CSRA Development has been responsible for overseeing the planning and development of neighborhoods throughout the CSRA, including Riverwood in Evans, Canterbury Farms in Grovetown, and Cornerstone Creek in Harlem. The division

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Josh Heath November 21, 2022 No Comments
B2B Stories

Mondays with Rick: Small businesses are the backbone of a community

  Dr. Rick Franza, Dean of the Hull College of Business, discusses a different, timely business topic each Monday in this column. This week, he talks about the importance of supporting small businesses for a strong economy. The interview has been edited for clarity and impact. ABD: We hear a lot about the need to shop at small businesses to help the community. Why are small businesses so important to the CSRA? Rick: It’s the most important thing. There are big businesses that won’t make the investment to come to

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Gary Kauffman November 20, 2022 No Comments
Top Story

Local business leaders share strategies for boosting online holiday sales

Business owners often wear too many hats to devote the time and attention needed to create impactful social media posts, according to Lisa Martin. Yesterday, Martin, CEO of Media and Marketing Advisors in Augusta, attended the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce’s Third Thursday Business Builder. The event featured a panel discussion on effective strategies for boosting online sales this holiday season. “You really can’t do it on your own,” she said. “You need to hire someone.” The panelists were Rafy Bassali, owner of The Swank Company, Posh Tots Children’s Boutique

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Josh Heath November 17, 2022 No Comments
B2B Stories

Local tourism gets back on track in 2022

Bennish Brown is tired of talking about 2019 because much of what has happened in the local tourism industry in 2022 has been compared to that year. On Tuesday, Brown, CEO of Destination Augusta (in the above photo), along with Augusta Sports Council CEO, Michelle Pippin, presented highlights of the local tourism and hospitality industries at Experience Augusta: The Annual Tourism Celebration Event. “I want to move beyond 2019, but it provides important benchmarks,” he said. This is the first year the event has been held in three years. Brown

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Josh Heath November 16, 2022 No Comments
Closings

Long-time Martinez dry-cleaning business to close in two weeks

For decades, people have brought their clothes to Silverstein’s Cleaners. But Friday will be the last day to drop them off before the business closes its doors permanently at the end of the month, according to one of its employees. The employee at Silverstein’s, 3818 Washington Road in the West Town Shopping Center, Martinez, declined to provide a reason for the closure. Charles Kelly, the owner of Computer Exchange located across the street from the business, said he will miss Silverstein’s. “I am told they have no buyer and will

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Josh Heath November 15, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

New grocery store location to open tomorrow in south Augusta

Much of south Augusta is a food desert, but an international grocery store chain is launching a new location in that area that will help to alleviate the problem. ALDI will open its fifth CSRA store at 3121 Peach Orchard Road tomorrow, according to the company’s website. Other locations are in Augusta, North Augusta, Aiken, and Grovetown. “Adding another affordable grocery option for south Augusta is a great step forward in helping to alleviate the food deserts that plague areas of our city,” said Augusta’s District 8 Commissioner, Brandon Garrett.

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Josh Heath November 14, 2022 No Comments
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