Shop local this holiday season and enjoy discounts using AU’s JagPerks

The holiday season is here, and what better time to start shopping than this upcoming Small Business Saturday on Nov. 30. Small Business Saturday celebrates the important role small businesses have on the nation’s economy and helps promote vibrant local communities.

Several locally owned shops in the Augusta area offer discounts that the Augusta University community can enjoy, not only during the holidays but also year-round.

AU recently launched JagPerks, a program that provides special discounts to students, faculty and staff at participating local businesses, in collaboration with the not-for-profit corporation Destination Augusta, which promotes tourism in the Augusta area.

JagPerks offers members of the AU community discounts at certain area businesses providing a wide range of shopping, services, entertainment, food and more. A valid JagID must be presented at the establishment for discounts.

This fall and spring semesters, AU’s Jagwire is highlighting several JagPerks partners. Visit Augusta University’s JagPerks webpage for a full list of local partners, the addresses of the businesses and a description of each of the discounts.

Augusta & Co.

Located in the heart of downtown Augusta at 1010 Broad St., Augusta & Co. offers visitors a chance to experience the authentic flavors of Augusta through its curated local merchandise including jewelry, T-shirts, jams, honey, coffee mugs, candles, cutting boards and more.

Augusta & Co. also offers a rotating art gallery and tasting bar along with friendly staff who can provide visitors with information on hundreds of regional attractions, local restaurants and upcoming events.

“Augusta & Co. is a great place to come and get handmade Augusta-themed gifts,” said Mamie McAbee, manager of Augusta & Co. “People come in to buy souvenirs for family coming into town or people moving to Augusta or from Augusta because we offer all sorts of wonderful products that are all locally made.”

For the past five years, Augusta & Co. has not only connected people to local attractions but has also introduced visitors to downtown and regional businesses, McAbee said.

“One of the things we want to do with our products is connect people to local experiences,” McAbee said. “For example, we carry local coffees, and we rotate which coffees we carry, so that’s going to send people out to our local coffee shops. The local chocolatier does tours of her facility and teaches visitors how to make chocolate. So, a lot of these items, they’re products, but they’re also experiences.”

“Augusta & Co. is a great place to come and get handmade Augusta-themed gifts.”

Mamie McAbee, manager of Augusta & Co.

Visitors truly get a taste of Augusta when they walk through the doors, McAbee said.

“Of course, we want people to be able to come in and get pecans and peaches and merchandise that Georgia is known for and, specifically, items Augusta is known for,” she said. “But we also offer items like the candles and tell people you can go to Augusta Candle Co. down the street and make a candle. The pottery is from Tire City Potters, and you can go take pottery workshops right here in downtown Augusta, designed for all ages and skill levels. We’re very proud to carry local goods that are great representations of Augusta but also experiences that we want people to go see.”

Augusta & Co.’s goal is to help promote the local community and the surrounding region, McAbee said.

“We carry Augusta GreenJackets merchandise and tell visitors about events at SRP Park in North Augusta,” McAbee said. “And we carry several Augusta University items because we want people to know about our local university. In fact, we have a great new shirt from Augusta University.”

The new T-shirt features the image of a recently painted Augusta University-inspired mural located on the corner of Reynolds and 11th streets.

“We carry several Augusta University items because we want people to know about our local university.”

Mamie McAbee, manager of Augusta & Co.

Earlier this year, approximately 40 faculty, staff and students from Augusta University designed and painted the new mural that not only celebrates downtown Augusta but also unites the university to the entire community.

“People come in and love that shirt because they’ve seen the mural, and it kind of connects the downtown area to the university,” McAbee said. “That shirt has been super popular. Actually, it’s one of our best-selling items this year.”

Augusta University students, faculty and staff with a valid JagID are offered 20% off merchandise at Augusta & Co. Consignment items are not included.

Not only does McAbee hope that members of the AU community stop by the store to shop, but she also wants them to explore downtown Augusta.

“With Augusta University, the students coming in are also going to be residents. And, whether they are short-term or long-term residents, we want them to love Augusta,” she said. “We want them to feel connected to Augusta and visit Augusta & Co. so that if they have questions of what to see and do and where to go, they can come in and feel like this is a community hub for them.”

McAbee said Augusta University has been a great partner in helping students connect with downtown Augusta through Augusta & Co.

“With new students coming to town, a lot of times we’ve been the first point that they come in, and they’ll meet us,” McAbee said. “And Augusta University has taken them on tours and let them get to know the downtown area. So that’s been awesome. We value that connection with Augusta University.”

If AU students, faculty or staff have any questions about Augusta, McAbee welcomes them to visit Augusta & Co.

“We are here to help,” McAbee said. “We want to be able to suggest places to eat, where to see entertainment and where to have a new experience. They might want to try Broad Axe Throwing or they might want to go to the theater to see a production or the symphony. There is so much to do here in downtown Augusta.

“And I think you enjoy your college experience so much better if you love the city you’re living in,” she added. “Come visit us and we’ll help you experience Augusta.”

Tire City Potters

More than 20 years after opening its doors on 10th Street in downtown Augusta, Tire City Potters has become known as the place to find some of the most beautiful and functional hand-thrown pottery in the region.

Tire City Potters owner and seasoned potter Shishir Chokshi studied art at Augusta University, but his love for ceramics and pottery started at a much earlier age.

“My mom was a quite skilled painter, and my father was a mechanical engineer, so even at a young age, I was always a tinkerer,” Chokshi said. “I was the one making the biggest sandcastles and digging holes and tunnels.”

“I was the kind of kid that my Lego tower had to be bigger than everyone else’s Lego tower,” Chokshi added, laughing. “So, I always had a little bit of a competitive spirit. But with ceramics, I didn’t need all of this other stuff. I could just sit and build. I found you didn’t need to go buy more Legos. The clay was there, and the tools are there. I just loved it.”

When it was time for Chokshi to go to college, his parents, who immigrated to the United States from India, encouraged him to seek a degree that could provide him with a stable financial future.

“With ceramics, I could just sit and build. The clay was there, and the tools are there. I just loved it.”

Shishir Chokshi, owner of Tire City Potters

He explored several majors such as pre-pharmacy, computer science and philosophy, but none of them stuck.

“During that entire time, I really loved clay,” Chokshi said. “I took my first ceramics class at then-Augusta State University, and that was it. I began taking all the ceramic classes that I could.”

“I slept in that art studio for two years. I never left,” he added, chuckling. “It soon became apparent that I really needed to take other classes because I couldn’t just take the ceramics classes since I wasn’t an art major. It wasn’t fair to the other people there. I was kind of told, ‘You either need to switch your major, or we have to figure something else out.’”

Chokshi decided to take a leap of faith and become an art major. It is a decision he has never regretted.

“I was thankful that happened because it really did open up a lot of doors for me,” he said. “It further rounded out the ceramic side of things for me. It changed how I was designing my pottery, what I was doing and it gave me a far better understanding of the theory behind why art is made.”

He began seeing his ceramics in a different light, he said.

“Just studying color. That was a huge thing to have proper color theory,” Chokshi said. “I also learned how to draw and paint pretty well. So, those things all found their way into my pots in a really meaningful way.”

Eventually, Chokshi and a group of fellow artists started showing their work by organizing pop-up events around Augusta, which provided a catalyst for what would become the city’s monthly art event, First Friday.

By October of 2001, Tire City Potters was born. Once a tire store a block off Broad Street, Chokshi worked hard to bring great life to what was a shell of a building.

“I came here, looked at this place, decided it was not too big but had just enough space to work. So, I rented it and immediately started renovating it. I got married at the same time, and we became rooted in Augusta,” Chokshi said, adding he and his wife, Tara, now have two daughters. “The man responsible for the name, Tire City Potters, believe it or not, is Raoul Pacheco.”

“I took my first ceramics class at then-Augusta State University, and that was it. I began taking all the ceramic classes that I could.”

Shishir Chokshi, owner of Tire City Potters

Pacheco, a longtime associate professor who teaches ceramics at AU in the Department of Art and Design of the Katherine Reese Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, was Chokshi’s first studio mate.

“When I rented this building, it was tagged, Tire City, right out front,” Chokshi said. “And he was like, ‘It should be the Tire City Potters, like a football team.’ I liked the sound of that because that sort of set the temperament of what this place was going to be. By putting that ‘s’ at the end of Potters, it stopped being just my studio. This is a studio for potters.”

These days, Tire City Potters offers stunning hand-thrown pottery that are functional works of art. Whether shoppers are looking for coffee mugs, bowls or decorative vases, Tire City has one-of-a-kind gifts for any occasion.

Augusta University students, faculty and staff with a valid JagID receive 10% off all in-store purchases at Tire City Potters as part of the JagPerks program.

Tire City Potters also offers a series of on-the-wheel pottery classes, various types of instruction and a host of services ranging from seasonal projects open to the public, team-building workshops and private parties.

In time for the holiday season, Tire City Potters offers “Forever Christmas Trees,” where visitors can decorate their own hand-thrown tree. Guests can carve, sculpt and paint their own creations into a unique luminary or sculpture, with guidance from the shop’s potters. Guests paint during the session, and the trees will be ready for pickup about three weeks after firing. Call 706-828-0334 for more information.

Orange Otter Toys

Celebrating its third holiday season located in the heart of historic downtown North Augusta, locally-owned Orange Otter Toys is not your average toy store.

Orange Otter Toys specializes in high-quality, American- and European-made products that customers cannot find in big box stores or Amazon.

These unique toys are meticulously scrutinized for their play value and quality, said Orange Otter Toys owner Aubrey Hinkson.

“We try very hard when we’re curating the toys. Every toy that’s in the store, I’ve picked,” Hinkson said, smiling. “When I’m looking for toys, I’m looking for things that are unique, hard to find and that are American- and European-made brands. Toys that can last from kid to kid, so you can pass them down. We want these toys to be part of your family.”

Hinkson also enjoys choosing toys that are not only fun for the child, but also an activity for the child and parents together.

“A lot of our craft kits and our STEM kits are activities like building a robot or building a magic treehouse,” Hinkson said, adding that her young children, Parker and Dawson, often help her “test” the toys. “My daughter built a little magical unicorn house last year that she got for Christmas. It’s still on her bedside table a year later. So that’s what we really try and find. And we take the guesswork out of it. When you come in our store, you know that it’s been tested.”

Located at 336 Georgia Ave., Suite 105, in North Augusta, Orange Otter Toys prides itself on outstanding customer service, Hinkson said.

Not only does Orange Otter Toys offer free gift wrapping with every purchase, but it also offers free local delivery for purchases more than $75, free shipping in Georgia and South Carolina for gifts more than $99, and customized gifts that can be ordered online. 

“Of course, customers can come in the store and ask, ‘Please help me. Point me in the right direction,’ and our staff of toy experts are happy to provide personal guidance for specific age- and grade-level toys,” Hinkson said. “But we also offer our online request form. It’s a free service, so people can go online and say, ‘I need this gift picked up today when I get off work at 5 p.m. Put it together for me. My budget is $30, and it’s for a 5-year-old girl who loves princesses.’ We will send them a reply with three to four different gift options, they pick out what they like and we put the gift together for them. And it’s done and ready for them to pick up at 5 p.m.”

“You can’t do that at Walmart,” Hinkson added, laughing. “We simply want to make shopping easy for customers because we know people are busy, and they are strapped for time. Just let us know who you’re shopping for and your budget, and we’ll take care of the rest.”

“We needed a classic toy store that has classic and retro toys, where kids can come in and actually play with stuff rather than just being at the mercy of the online search. So, that’s where it all started.”

Aubrey Hinkson, owner of Orange Otter Toys

Hinkson, who is also an adjunct instructor for AU’s James M. Hull College of Business, came up with the idea for Orange Otter Toys after hunting store after store for a quality jump rope with her daughter.

“Parker was about 2 1/2 years old at the time, and we started being invited to birthday parties of strangers in her daycare class,” Hinkson said. “Everybody was showing up to the birthday party with the same exact gift because we were all doing the same thing: searching online and typing, ‘Best gift for 3-year-old boy.’ We literally all came with the same gift.”

Hinkson realized her daughter’s generation was missing out on the joy of a true toy store.

“Just thinking about her growing up versus my experience growing up, and the generations before me, we always had a toy store,” she said. “We always had a place where we could go and play and try things out. That was the foundation of this idea. We needed a classic toy store that has classic and retro toys, where kids can come in and actually play with stuff rather than just being at the mercy of the online search. So, that’s where it all started.”

Augusta University students, faculty and staff with a valid JagID receive 10% off merchandise at Orange Otter Toys as part of the JagPerks program.

“We simply want to make shopping easy for customers because we know people are busy, and they are strapped for time. Just let us know who you’re shopping for and your budget, and we’ll take care of the rest.”

Aubrey Hinkson, owner of Orange Otter Toys

For Small Business Saturday on Nov. 30, Hinkson encourages members of the AU community to celebrate the holidays in North Augusta.

“The city of North Augusta just proclaimed Small Business Saturday is a special day,” she said. “We’ll be open early, and our Christmas items will be on sale. We’re going to have all of our advent calendars available, and it’ll be a big day.”

Right next to Orange Otter Toys, North Augusta Forward will host Tinseltown Forest in Jackson Square at 336 Georgia Ave. from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The event will have freshly cut fir trees and wreaths available, and visitors can enjoy s’mores, boiled peanuts and warm cocoa while they listen to Christmas music.

“Santa will be there for the kids, and families can pick up a Christmas tree,” Hinkson said. “And we are right in the middle of it, so we can’t wait.”

Hinkson and her husband, Jayson, were also chosen by the North Augusta Lions Club to serve as the grand marshals for this year’s Christmas parade, themed “GAME TIME.” The parade will take place on Sunday, Dec. 8, at 3 p.m.

“This year’s theme celebrates the joy of play, showcasing board games, video games, game shows and sports that bring families and friends together,” Hinkson said. “That’s perfect for us. We are putting together an Orange Otter float to kick off the parade.”

The Christmas parade will feature an array of floats, performances and community groups. Families are encouraged to dress as their favorite game characters or sports teams.

Hinkson said she is truly humbled by the way the North Augusta community has embraced Orange Otter Toys.

“This city has been super supportive,” Hinkson said. “When we opened our store, we were really inspired by another fellow small business owner who told us, ‘If you’re not willing to plant your roots where you live, why would you expect anyone else to?’ We love it here, and we love living here, so we felt like we needed to invest and put our business in North Augusta. There’s no place we’d rather be.”

Arena Graffiti

When Arena Graffiti partners and lifelong friends Andy Hobbs and Jordan Bailey opened their new apparel store at 3906 Washington Road in August, they wanted to combine their passion for sports and interest in activewear into one location.

“Jordan and I both have a sports background in either coaching or playing sports, and we had always had a passion for apparel,” said Hobbs, who grew up in McDuffie County and currently lives in Thomson, Georgia. “Over the past three or four years, we sat down and narrowed out what manufacturer we wanted to use, what kind of apparel we wanted to do and put a business plan together. And here we are about three years later, brick and mortar. We finally brought it to fruition. It has become a reality.”

Arena Graffiti already has several contracts with professional athletes promoting their brand and collegiate licensing with several schools including Augusta University.

“We are currently licensed with LSU, Georgia Southern, Iowa State and Augusta University, of course,” Hobbs said. “Since we’re right here with AU, we’re looking to grow the brand, not only with faculty and staff and students but the athletes, as well.”

“We want to be ahead of the game and offer unique apparel that other stores don’t offer, so come see us.”

Andy Hobbs, owner of Arena Graffiti

Augusta University students, faculty and staff with a valid JagID receive 20% off merchandise at Arena Graffiti as part of the JagPerks program.

“When the JagPerks program was presented to us, it was a no-brainer,” Hobbs said. “We gladly offer 20% off for faculty, staff and students, just show us your Jag ID card. We also offer 20% off online, too. So, it’s great marketing for us, and it’s great marketing for the university because, at the end of the day, we just want to produce top-quality apparel and support the community.”

Both Hobbs and Bailey have family with close ties to AU.

“My wife graduated from AU from the College of Nursing a few years ago,” Hobbs said, adding that Bailey’s younger sister, Grace, is a freshman and plays softball for AU.

“Since we’re right here with AU, we’re looking to grow the brand, not only with faculty and staff and students but the athletes, as well.”

Andy Hobbs, owner of Arena Graffiti

Arena Graffiti employees and AU College of Nursing students Emma Scott and Caroline Stapleton said they both enjoy working for the apparel store because it has such high energy.

“We were both here from the very beginning when Arena Graffiti opened in August,” Stapleton said. “Our boss, Andy Hobbs, worked at the high school that we went to, Briarwood Academy. He supported us through our athletic careers in high school and offered us a job when we graduated. We enrolled at AU and started the nursing program and have been working here ever since. It’s a great place to work, and the owners are really supportive of us.”

Growing up in McDuffie County, Hobbs said he always loved basketball, baseball and football.

“I love football, but basketball is my passion. In high school sports, I helped coach high school football and varsity track,” Hobbs said. “The biggest thing I learned is, a lot of people can coach, but I like to be more of a mentor and coach off the field. Through the years, you get close to the athletes because you want them to turn into good individuals. My goal was always to help them when I could.”

Hobbs wants to provide that same type of support to local athletes and the community.

“We’re a unique brand,” Hobbs said. “We have stuff for outdoorsmen, we have stuff for the collegiate demographics, we have stuff for the urban hip-hop wearer, we have women’s and men’s activewear, and, of course, we have hats. We have anything you can imagine in the apparel industry.”

“In fact, we’ve got some things that many of your bigger cities have that haven’t quite made it to Augusta yet,” Hobbs added. “We want to be ahead of the game and offer unique apparel that other stores don’t offer, so come see us.”

“We enrolled at AU and started the nursing program and have been working here ever since. It’s a great place to work and the owners are really supportive of us.”

AU College of Nursing student Caroline Stapleton

Augusta Candle Co.

There is nothing more relaxing than creating your own beautifully scented candle surrounded by friends and family at Augusta Candle Co. in downtown Augusta.

Located in the heart of downtown at 1124 Broad St., Augusta Candle Co. gives customers the opportunity to curate and hand-pour a candle that is uniquely their own.

Guests can browse more than 100 pure fragrance oils, blend their custom scent with the store’s all-natural soy wax and burn the long-lasting cotton paper wick for an experience that is specifically tailored to them. 

“That’s what I love. People enjoy it, use it, and they can bring it back and make another candle in the same vessel and save some glass. It’s a fun time.”

Amy Donaldson, owner of Augusta Candle Co.

The Augusta Candle Co. also offers unique gifts and merchandise such as diffusers, sprays and wax melts, as well as custom-scented body scrubs, bath salts, lotions and soaps.

Augusta Candle Co. owner Amy Donaldson got the idea for the candle shop while visiting her home state of Ohio in 2017.

“I was visiting a niece at Ohio State in Columbus and she said, ‘Hey, you want to go to this candle place with me? We can make our own candles,’” Donaldson said. “I figured, ‘Why not?’ So, I did and it was so much fun.”

“On the way home, I called my husband, and I said, ‘Hey, I’m going to open a candle shop in Augusta,’” Donaldson said, laughing. “And he said, ‘Oh, OK.’ But by Thanksgiving, I had talked him into at least thinking about it.”

Donaldson reached out to the owner of the candle store in Ohio to see if he was interested in franchising. At the time, he wasn’t, but he offered to be a consultant for her new business.

“He helped us get going, and originally I thought I was just going to make candles at my house and have a little business on the side,” Donaldson said. “But, one day, we were walking downtown, and we saw this location. As soon as I saw it, I said, ‘Nope. Nope. This is it. I’m doing it here.’ And we opened six months later in May 2018.”

Augusta Candle Co. is the perfect place to host birthday parties, baby showers or office celebrations in a fun, relaxing atmosphere, Donaldson said.

“I like the vibe downtown, and this shop fits into that vibe. Not that it couldn’t fit into Columbia County or anywhere else, but I really want downtown to succeed, and that’s why I’m here.”

Amy Donaldson, owner of Augusta Candle Co.

Customers are first asked to choose a jar ranging in price from $18 to $48. The store offers many different choices, including custom-made pottery from Tire City Potters.

“A friend worked at Tire City and had the idea to sell us custom pots. And I was like, ‘Yes, please,’” Donaldson said. “People love them because they’re different and they’re cool. We’ve done all kinds of things with Tire City. One of my main missions is to make sure that I help other small businesses in downtown Augusta.”

The candle-mixing process takes less than 30 minutes, depending on the size of the group. If the customer chooses to pour a candle, it has to set for an hour and 30 minutes. No appointments are necessary, but if there are more than 10 participants, Augusta Candle Co. asks customers to call 706-364-2402 prior to the visit.

“What I really love about it is that it’s something fun to do and something that you can use,” Donaldson said. “It’s something that you can do and bring your mom, your older children or your significant other. Men like it, women like it and kids like it. We have something pretty much for anybody, and everyone has a good time. And, in the process, you get to make something that’s completely custom-made and use it.”

When the COVID pandemic hit, Donaldson said Augusta Candle Co. transitioned to more wholesale business for a variety of companies.

“Now, we do a lot of custom candle lines for other small businesses, which I love because it’s giving them something to sell that they can own and put their name on,” she said. “That’s where we are today. It’s a little bit different than what I envisioned, but the main part of my vision is just having something to do and bringing your friends in for a good time. That’s what I love. People enjoy it, use it, and they can bring it back and make another candle in the same vessel and save some glass. It’s a fun time.”

Donaldson, who moved to Augusta from Ohio in 1991, simply loves to see Augusta University students visit the candle shop and hear them rave about downtown.

“I like the vibe downtown, and this shop fits into that vibe,” Donaldson said. “Not that it couldn’t fit into Columbia County or anywhere else, but I really want downtown to succeed and that’s why I’m here.”

AU students, faculty and staff with a valid JagID receive 10% off merchandise at Augusta Candle Co. as part of the JagPerks program.

“Ever since the very beginning, I’ve had employees who are AU students, and we’ve always had a lot of different events going on with the university,” Donaldson said “The university even had their own scented candle that they sold for a while. We’ve had different departments and sororities come in for events, so we enjoy that connection with Augusta University. We’ve supported them, and they’ve supported us.”