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Consumer Stories

A new staffing company aims to ease the nursing shortage

The CSRA is experiencing a nursing shortage, thanks to the pandemic and travel nursing, according to Melinda Green. Her new medical staffing agency plans to alleviate that shortage. Green, a certified nursing assistant, and medical technician is co-owner of Essential Supplemental Staffing, which opened on April 7. The agency shares an office with Guardian Angels Care, a home health care company, at 3604 Wheeler Road, Suite A1, Augusta. Niyetroshia Anderson, the owner of Guardian Angels, also co-owns ESS. In addition to her work with the staffing agency, Green serves as

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B2B Stories

Business owners, the public can weigh in on Project Pascalis today

Another piece of the puzzle for the Pascalis development project will come together today when businesses and the public can voice their opinions. Project Pascalis is slated to bring a hotel, parking garage, conference center, apartments, and retail space to downtown Aiken. Public input and fully approved plans are two stipulations required by the City’s Design Review Board before moving forward with the demolition of the dilapidated Hotel Aiken, as well as properties on Laurens Street to make room for the development. The seven parcels that make up Project Pascalis

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Consumer Stories

Local chocolatier making life a little sweeter for Ukrainian refugees

Like the rest of us, Bebette Smith watches the heartbreaking news coverage of Ukrainian citizens forced to flee their country. The chocolatier wanted to find a way to help these refugees, particularly those fleeing to her native country of Belgium. Smith, the owner of La Bonbonniere Authentic Belgian Chocolates, 231 Furys Ferry Road, Suite 206B in Augusta, developed a sunflower chocolate box to honor the refugees. The sunflower is Ukraine’s national flower. “I just so happened to have a sunflower mold,” Smith said. For every box a customer buys, she

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Consumer Stories

Local retailer expands, due to inflation

If you’re a parent, you’re familiar with this common scenario: you buy your kids clothes, and a few months later, they need new ones because the old ones no longer fit. With the current inflation rate at 8.5 percent, parents want to pay less for kids’ clothes. Many have turned to consignment shops, such as Kid to Kid, for not only clothing but also toys and baby items. Shannon Unger owns two Kid to Kid stores in the CSRA: one in National Hills and another on Washington Road near Goodwill

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Consumer Stories

New business coming to busy Martinez intersection

A new structure being built at the corner of Furys Ferry and Evans to Locks roads will be a liquor store. The building is being built by Peter Patel, who also owns several Dunkin Donuts franchises in the CSRA. The liquor store will be owned by Sam Patel. Duckworth Development is overseeing the construction of the building. There was no information available about the planned opening date of the liquor store.

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Top Story

Local Chambers of Commerce to host major networking event

If you’ve been looking for professional networking opportunities, six local Chambers of Commerce have just the event you need. The Augusta Metro, Columbia County, Burke County, Aiken, North Augusta and Thomson-McDuffie chambers have partnered to host a Mega Mixer event on 4-7 p.m., April 20 at the Columbia County Performing Arts Center located at 1000 Market St., Evans. More than 5,000 people have been invited to attend the event. Many local businesses, such as C&C Automotive, Augusta Gift Baskets, Sol Himalayan Salt Cave and Honda Cars of Aiken, will have

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B2B Stories

Simon Says: Covid affects Augusta employment numbers; Georgia jobs grow

Two years from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, employment in the Augusta MSA in February 2022 is more than 6,000 jobs below the level in February 2020. Employment in the state of Georgia in February 2022 is 1.2 percent higher than in February 2020. Over the past two years, three sectors of the local economy have seen employment surpass pre-pandemic levels: manufacturing (up to about 200 jobs), retail (up to 3,000 jobs), and transportation and utilities (up just less than 1,000 jobs). The state of Georgia also sees higher

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Closings

Local spa succumbs to staffing issues, plans to close

The local labor shortage has forced small business owners to find creative ways to hire and retain employees, including offering sign-on bonuses and remote work options. But some owners have decided to close their doors permanently. Kim Kitts, the owner of Balanced Body Spa, recently announced on Facebook she is closing the business on April 26 after 16 years. Located at 2916 Professional Parkway in Augusta, the spa provides a variety of therapeutic massage services. In the Facebook post, Kitts cited staffing issues as the reason the business is closing.

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B2B Stories

Mondays with Rick: Learning from the business model of The Masters

  Dr. Rick Franza, Dean of the Hull College of Business, discusses a different, timely business topic each Monday in this column. This week, he considers what local businesses can learn from The Masters business model. The interview has been edited for clarity and impact. ABD: Anyone who has attended an event at Augusta National during Masters Week knows it’s an amazing experience. What are some things The Masters does well? Rick: What we talk about in companies are the front room that faces the customer and the back room

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Consumer Stories

Wild Wing Cafe reveals Augusta plans at tonight’s Masters’ concert

The rain moved Rock Fore Dough inside and structural issues wiped out Lake Olmstead concerts this week, but it’s all systems go tonight for a “Rockin’ Out by the River” concert and fundraiser for a Wild Wing Cafe foundation. Concerts will be held at three venues adjacent to the North Augusta Riverfront Amphitheater beginning late Friday afternoon and early evening, with the band Orange Constant at the Beer Garden Stage and Trae Pierce & the T-Stones on the Inside Stage. The developer of the new Wild Wing corporate store in

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