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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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Gary Kauffman July 12, 2022 No Comments
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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Josh Heath July 11, 2022 No Comments
Top Story

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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Mitzi Oxford July 10, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Faith Friday: Like a Good (Thy) Neighbor: One Insurer Ensures Purpose Before Profit

Eddie Bussey can tell you, he’s heard God’s voice. In 2001, Eddie Bussey – State Farm, was a fledgling enterprise. It was a low point in his personal life as well. He says he belted an anguished cry. Almost as instantly as in the biblical story of the Saul-to-Paul conversion, he made a promise to God. “I was under so much pressure and the momentum was not what I wanted or to be for the business,” he said. “I found myself praying out loud by myself in the office late

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Monique Williams July 7, 2022 No Comments
Top Story

Local fast-food restaurant owners confront labor shortage

Offering sign-on bonuses is one of the strategies many companies, including fast-food restaurants, have used to recruit employees. But Gary’s Hamburgers owner, Gary Gibson said that’s a strategy he isn’t willing to try. Gibson has owned and operated the CSRA restaurant chain for nearly 40 years, and like many other businesses, Gary’s has been hit with a serious labor shortage. There are currently three locations in Martinez, Evans, and North Augusta. He had planned to open a new location on Wrightsboro Road last year, but he said it will remain

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Josh Heath July 7, 2022 1 Comment
B2B Stories

Simon Says: Best labor markets in Georgia, S.C. are on the coasts

Last week, I compared the labor market in Augusta to other metro areas in Georgia. However, two counties in the August metro area are in South Carolina (Aiken and Edgefield), so how does Augusta stack up against South Carolina cities? Like Georgia, the fastest-growing labor markets in South Carolina are on the coast. The Labor Market Index (LMI) for Charleston grew at 2.5 percent over the last year and by a whopping 4.7 percent in Myrtle Beach. (The fastest growth in Georgia was Savannah at 3.6 percent). Over the past

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Dr. Simon Medcalfe, AU Economics Professor July 6, 2022 1 Comment
B2B Stories

Local young professionals selected as top future business leaders

Dalton Self is a local entrepreneur with a passion for creating opportunities for future business leaders. Self, Vice President of Jani-King of Augusta, was selected by the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce and Augusta Magazine as one of the Top 10 in 10 Young Professionals to Watch. Self, who is also responsible for overseeing other Jani-King locations, including Macon, Savannah, and Memphis said in the future, he will be one of the top business leaders in the CSRA because he strives to help others become successful commercial cleaning franchises. According

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Josh Heath July 5, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Fireworks entrepreneur launches Augusta store

Brent Munnerlyn has opened a new fireworks store with a familiar name, just in time to help you light up the night sky for your July 4 celebrations. Munnerlyn recently opened Joe Dirt Fireworks located at 1090 Claussen Road near River Watch Parkway and next door to Candlewood Suites Augusta. Joe Dirt was a 2001 comedy starring David Spade. The 5,000-square-foot store sells a variety of products, including sparklers, Roman candles, and artillery shells. “We are excited about this location and how visible it is from I-20,” he said. “Our

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Josh Heath July 1, 2022 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Business Lunch: Dave and Buster’s

Editor’s Note: Wes Hennings never met a meal he walked away from and is an opinionated eater! Each Thursday he shares the results of a business lunch he’s had with a colleague as a way to advise our business community on the good, bad, and tasty across the CSRA. He doesn’t let ABD or the restaurant know where he is going and his opinions are his own. He grades the restaurants he visits on a 1-5 scale with “5” being outstanding. We call this our “Real Business Lunch Review”. Food

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Wes Hennings June 30, 2022 No Comments
B2B Stories

Simon Says: First quarter labor stats look good for Georgia, up slightly in Augusta

Data through the first quarter of 2022 suggests that the Georgia economy remains strong. The Labor Market Index (LMI) for Georgia increased by 2.4 percent in March 2022 from March 2021. The corresponding number for the fourth quarter of 2021 was 2.2 percent. Savannah saw the largest year-on-year increase at 3.6 percent. All metro areas, except Hinesville, saw improved labor market conditions in the first quarter of 2022. The LMI for Augusta increased by 0.8 percent. Employment has increased by 2,300 over the last year and the unemployment rate has

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Dr. Simon Medcalfe, AU Economics Professor June 29, 2022 No Comments
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