Augusta, GA

Holiday shopping gives Aiken, Augusta small businesses seasonal sales boost

Published

2 weeks ago

December 27, 2025

Holiday shopping gives Aiken, Augusta small businesses seasonal sales boost

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – In a year marked by construction, tariffs, government shutdown threats and economic uncertainty, the holiday season provided small businesses in Aiken and Augusta with a chance to turn a hefty profit.

Business owners across the region reported strong foot traffic and sales during the critical November and December period, which helps sustain them through slower months.

Pete Swales of High Country Olive Oil on Laurens Street said Aiken’s tourism appeal brings steady customers during the holidays.

“Aiken has a lot of folks coming in and visiting and traveling and a lot of tourism. And so we get a lot of folks just walking by,” Swales said.

The holiday season represents a crucial revenue period for his business.

“Our business becomes incredibly busy in that November and December time frame. It’s probably 1/3 of the year is done inside of that month and a half,” Swales said.

Across the street at The Little Red Fox Shop, Charles Lowe reported similar holiday traffic patterns.

“Tons, tons. We get… We don’t get a lot of foot traffic all year, but we get a lot this time of year,” Lowe said.

The shop, which features items from local artists, serves as a popular destination for gift shopping.

“It’s like really from mid-November to December, we stay swamped. It’s good because, you know, that’s where you make, like, we can get through like January and February are really slow,” Lowe said.

Pink Icing Boutique opened downtown at the beginning of the holiday season and immediately saw strong customer traffic.

“This is a little over a month since we’ve been here, and I’ve seen a tremendous amount of foot traffic before and after the holidays,” said Benicia Bush of Pink Icing Boutique.

In downtown Augusta, businesses also reported sustained activity extending beyond Christmas.

Shama S. Cartwright of Rebel Lion Den said the holiday season continues to bring customers downtown.

“After Christmas, they have Kwanzaa. So it’s still a pickup, because we’re still celebrating the holiday season, so people come through from the time, say Christmas Eve, on to like now, people are coming downtown,” Cartwright said.

Business owners said warm weather during the holiday season provided an additional boost, encouraging more people to walk around downtown areas and shop for gifts.

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Augusta, GA

Structure fire blocks multiple lanes on Peach Orchard Road

Published

3 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Structure fire blocks multiple lanes on Peach Orchard Road

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and Augusta Fire Department responded to a structure fire early Saturday morning in the 3600 block of Peach Orchard Road.

Fire truck shortage forces local departments to wait years for equipment

Emergency crews blocked multiple lanes as they battled the fire, according to a Facebook post from the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.

News 12 has reached out to the Augusta Fire Department to determine the cause of the fire and to inquire about any reported injuries.

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Augusta, GA

Finding Solutions: Augusta Juvenile Court receives grant for gang prevention

Published

15 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Finding Solutions: Augusta Juvenile Court receives grant for gang prevention

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Augusta Juvenile Court received a grant of more than $1 million to prevent youth from joining gangs by addressing underlying factors that lead to criminal behavior.

The grant from the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council will allow the court to expand services beyond its current programs and serve a broader population of at-risk youth.

“This allows us to build on the work we are currently doing. It also allows us to serve a different population of youth that we have not been able to serve on such an extended level, so we have additional funds that will serve even more kids and to hopefully assist the sheriff and district attorney in not having youthful offenders become adult offenders that they have to obtain and prosecute,” said Chief Judge Tianna Bias.

Addressing root causes

The funding will target factors that make youth vulnerable to gang recruitment, including poor school attendance and reading difficulties.

“Whether it’s that they have poor school attendance, not reading on grade level. One thing we’ve seen is that when you are not reading on grade level that has an impact on many other areas of your life. It’s really just an opportunity to offer wrap-around support for these kids so we can prevent them from getting into unfortunate situations that they may not end up in front of a juvenile court judge later,” Bias said.

Dr. Audrey Armistad, chief intake officer for the juvenile court, said the court’s goal is rehabilitation rather than detention.

“We put them in programs and services that help them to be able to develop mentally, socially and physically when it comes to kids involved with the juvenile court,” Armistad said.

Expanding services

The juvenile court currently serves at-risk youth through the THRIVE program. The court is also expanding services with a new computer lab set to open next month.

“It helps us to be able to provide instruction to kids getting GEDs, parents wanting GEDs, as well as we provide learning loss instruction to kids enrolled in Richmond County who may need remediation in math and reading,” Armistad said.

A gang prevention expert will meet with the juvenile court team to provide recommendations on how the grant money should be spent.

Bias said success will be measured by fewer teens in courtrooms and more in classrooms.

“We are meant to rehabilitate not to punish and we want to help these parents get kids on track so we can see a better Augusta for everyone,” Bias said.

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