Coffee gets most people keyed up for the day, including goats, and that’s where a new Evans-based coffee roastery gets its name from. The Augusta pet care store that closed after a car crash is doggedly completing repairs, and one of Augusta’s westside hotels that underwent renovations might have found a corporate buyer. Here’s a brief look at openings, closings and other changes in Augusta-area business:
AIN’T THAT A KICK: A Columbia County business that offers coffee beverages held a grand opening Sept. 17 for its roastery.
The Goat Kick Coffee Co. had been leasing space since last year at 106 N. Belair Road in Evans to perfect the shop’s roasting, grinding and brewing techniques for its signature coffees. It also operates a coffee trailer that visits local venues and events.
Adding to the fun of the opening was a promise from the organizers: Any visitor who brought a goat got a free beverage.
“Yes, we’re totally serious,” Goat Kick said on Facebook. “All goats are welcome, especially the ones with a strong kick!”
Related: Goat Kick Coffee Co. gets the OK to hoof it to Evans Town Center
Co-owner Dr. John Bojescul, an orthopedic surgeon, told the Columbia County Board of Commissioners earlier this year that Goat Kick expects to open a store at Evans Towne Center as early as November.
The shop’s name is derived from the mythical story of a 9th-century Ethiopian goatherd who noticed increased energy among animals in his flock that nibbled berries off a coffee bush.
PET PROJECT: Still closed but working toward reopening, pet care business Woof Gang Bakery and Grooming is continuing with repairs to its Augusta location after a car crashed into the building four months ago.
“Things are going along smoothly now however we have quite a bit of internal work to do, but we will let everyone know when we have a date to open,” the owners told their social media followers Sept. 7.
Recently: K-9 units pause for training in Columbia County. Meet two local dogs keeping us safe.
Woof Gang sits on an outparcel in the parking lot of National Hills Shopping Center, 2701 Washington Road. No one was injured seriously in the early hours of May 15 when a vehicle jumped a curb and shattered several of the building’s plate glass windows.
Woof Gang, a national franchise, produces its own specialty dog foods and treats, and offers dog grooming services.
JUST CHECKING IN: A 112-bed Augusta hotel in business since the mid-1980s could be changing hands.
The Best Western Plus at 1062 Claussen Road is under contract for sale, according to real-estate website LoopNet.
“Undergoing a comprehensive renovation from November 2019 to October 2020, addressing nearly every guest-facing aspect of the hotel, the property was completely improved and rebranded from an independent hotel to a Best Western franchise,” according to global real-estate company Hodges Ward Elliott. “As a result, a new owner’s capital expenditure should be limited to none.”
The hotel was built in 1986 as a Best Western Bradbury Suites, and became an AmeriSuites hotel in the mid-1990s. It later became a Jameson Suites before switching to ECCO Suites in 2017. In 2019, Best Western rebranded Augusta’s ECCO as an upper-midscale BW Signature Collection hotel by Best Western Hotels and Resorts.
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