Andrew Siders was born and raised in Aiken, served in the Marines, and owned or worked for seven businesses in the area including Brindles in the Aiken Mall, the Savannah River Site, and insurance agencies in Augusta and Aiken, but he got tired of sitting behind a desk.
“People would ask me what I’m going to do next, and every day there’s something new. It’s been an adventure,” says Siders.
Maybe he has found his niche. Last year, he bought Dave’s Grill and Grocery. The building which served as a gas station and convenience store at 3286 Wagener Road in Couchton has been around since 1957. The grocery part of the establishment started 38 years ago.
Between Siders’ service to Aiken County as District 7 Councilor and service to the country as a Marine, he’s learned a few good things about running a business including how to juggle cashflow, client expectations, all while making time to perform the work that makes clients happy and pays the bills.
After you fill up your car with ethanol-free gas at Dave’s, you can head inside and fill up your belly with some good eats.
“Our menu features my Uncle A.R. Edward’s chili which became popular when it was served at City Billiards. Our wings, offered only on Wednesdays, are also a big hit. Fox News put them on the short list of Best Wings in the country.”
If wings aren’t your thing, you can peruse the grocery shelves stocked with “stuff you can’t find anywhere else” including every flavor of Moon Pie available and Maurice’s BBQ sauce, which comes from an exclusive heirloom recipe hundreds of years old. Then, there’s the butcher shop featuring thick sliced bacon, fresh-cut rib eyes, and homemade sausage.
“The goal was to make it like an old-time country store. In the future, I can see taking this same model and expanding with other stores or offering franchises.”
Check Dave’s Grill and Grocery’s Facebook page for daily menu specials.
Editor’s Note:
Mitzi Oxford is a veteran broadcaster and features writer who also worked at the same television station in Columbus, Georgia as Augusta’s Brad Means!
If you have a South Carolina story idea for Mitzi, please email her at mitzioxfordcreative@gmail.com.
