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National leaders help grow Augusta firms

For two days, your CSRA company has a chance to morph into the “happiest place on earth” or find the folksy values from “Mayberry.” Bob Iger, former CEO of the Walt Disney Company, and Ron Howard, child actor from The Andy Griffith Show and Academy Award-winning filmmaker, (both pictured above) will headline the 2022 Global Leadership Summit. “We always think (Summit) can’t get any better,” said Robbie King, the Augusta Area Coordinator for the GLS at the satellite host site of True North Church in North Augusta. “This year is

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Consumer Stories

Business Lunch Review: Mellow Mushroom

Editor’s Note: Our regular lunch reviewer, Wes Hennings, is taking a few weeks of paternity leave. While we assume he is still eating something, somewhere, he won’t be writing about it while he’s off duty. Meanwhile, ABD editor, Gary Kauffman will pinch-hit with the reviews of his lunches with a colleague, as a way to advise our business community on the good, the bad, and the tasty across the CSRA. He doesn’t let the restaurant know where he is going; his opinions are his own. He grades the restaurants he

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Consumer Stories

Nike Peach Jam delivers a slam dunk for CSRA economy

On both sides of the river, folks are pumped up like the Nike basketballs being used at their Elite Youth Basketball League tournament. Pride is at stake for the players and parents. Finding hot prospects to recruit is the goal for coaches visiting from almost every major university across the country, from Duke to UCLA. For area businesses, the tournament delivers a major economic boost. “Last year because of Covid, the only spectators attending were parents and coaches,” said Rick Meyer, Director of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism for North Augusta.

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After flooding, Ubora coffee shop reopens to the delight of patrons

Like a business version of the biblical Noah, Ubora Coffee Roasters has gone through a flood and emerged intact on the other side. Ubora reopened its coffee shop at 1128 Jones St. on Friday, after nearly two months of being closed due to flooding. On May 21, water from a burst pipe poured into the store for about two hours before it was discovered and shut off. “It flooded like a Tahitian waterfall,” General Manager, Stacy Hix said. Initially, Ubora had thought it would be shut down for a week

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B2B Stories

Mondays with Rick: AU pumps billions of dollars into the local economy

  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 financial impact Augusta University has on the community. The interview has been edited for clarity and impact. ABD: Last week, some numbers came out about the financial impact Augusta University and AU Health Systems have on the community. Combined, they add more than $2.1 billion to the local community, but it looks like AU provides about half of that, at $1.054 billion

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Consumer Stories

Inaccurate Facebook post generates interest in doughnut shop franchise

People love to post news on social media about businesses coming to the CSRA, but a recent Facebook post about a doughnut shop with an unusual name opening soon was inaccurate – at least for now. The post stated Duck Donuts is opening soon in Columbia County, and more than 250 people have commented so far. “I’ve heard these are the best donuts ever,” Nzuri Davis posted. “This just made my day,” Victoria Smith posted. But a public relations spokeswoman for the company said they haven’t received a signed franchise

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Consumer Stories

Local roofer hits a hole in one with the second business

Jason Page grew up playing golf and has now channeled his passion for the sport into a second business. In May, Page, owner of Page Roofing & Contracting, and his wife, Deb, bought Bartram Trail Golf Club, an 18-hole public course off Columbia Road in Evans, for $3.8 million. He lives in the neighborhood, which contains more than 450 homes, and has been a member of the club for the last five years. He sold some commercial property to fund the purchase. Page has already made some changes to Bartram

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Consumer Stories

BeautifyAugusta works to create a more beautiful city for business owners and citizens

A section of downtown Augusta is a bit more beautiful today, thanks to BeautifyAugusta and several local Girl Scout troops. On Monday, the groups worked together to clean up Jones Street. It was all part of BeautifyAugusta’s mission to do just what its name implies, making Augusta a more beautiful place for business owners and citizens alike. “The girls had an awesome time,” BeautifyAugusta cofounder, Jeremy Rueggeberg said. “We made a game out of picking up the trash and had snacks. For some, this was their first volunteer opportunity as

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Consumer Stories

Local restaurateurs pivot and launch new restaurant concept

Last summer, after facing a possible suspension of its liquor license, Southbound Smokehouse on Central Avenue closed its doors. The business’s owners have now teamed up with another local entrepreneur to launch a new restaurant concept in the same building. Brian Brittingham and George Claussen own Southbound, which is now located in SRP Park. The pair, along with Andrew Crumrine, who owns the building located at 1855 Central Ave. near Buona Caffe, opened Soul City Pizza in mid-February 2022. “I thought we needed a local pizza place,” said Crumrine, who

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CSRA companies offer workplace safety plans and training

The numbers are staggering. More than 300 mass shootings in the US since the first of the year. Fifteen of those occurred in Georgia and 16 in South Carolina. According to the FBI, 45% occurred in a business or commercial setting and 24% in schools. It’s the kind of sobering report that keeps Powell Asset Protection Agency busy, teaching people how to shoot, offering armed security details, and creating safety plans for churches and businesses. Clifford Powell is a combat veteran and law enforcement officer who has built his company,

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