Old Meets New in 5787
What does a new year look like when the place you call home is changing, too?
That’s the question I found myself pondering as Isaac and I spent Rosh Hashanah weekend proudly sharing our home with out-of-town family.
Over and over, it was old meeting new…
My grandmother’s vintage cake tray held a new creation from a Helms College pastry chef student at Edgar’s Bakehouse: a candied apple entremet inspired by fall fair, the a perfect nod to the Jewish tradition of apples and honey for Rosh Hashanah…
The aroma of Brisket shipped in from Zabar’s, a nearly 100-year-old Jewish deli in New York, accompanied by homemade kugel and matzo ball soup, in our brand-new kitchen…
A drive down Columbia County roads that once marked the outskirts of town but now bustled with traffic, to Congregation Children of Israel and then Adas Yeshurun in the Summerville neighborhood of Augusta, each with storied traditions and history dating back to the 1800s.
And by the time we walked down Broad Street, weaving through construction cones to visit my favorite spot, the Book Tavern, the amalgamation of things old and new was all I could think about.
Augusta’s Downtown Transformation
Since last spring, crews have worked block by block to transform Broad Street, in some cases replacing underground infrastructure dating back nearly a century. For now, the air around the new linear park that will pay homage to music great James Brown is instead filled with the cacophony of construction. And businesses along the corridor need our support to get across the finish line later this year.
While we’ve only lived in Augusta for a few years, the excitement for this vision is absolutely contagious. Isaac and I have met so many people who are passionate about building this community up, whether they’re natives or newcomers like us. They see where we’ve been, and the potential for where we’re going. It’s no wonder LinkedIn recently named Augusta its No. 1 city on its 2026 Cities on the Rise list, recognizing the metro area as one of the fastest-growing markets in the country for jobs and career opportunities.
But we can’t stop showing up for the downtown business owners while we wait for the construction cones to clear. Call it a new year’s resolution, or simply a commitment to our community, but Isaac and I are finding reasons to come downtown each week and support the small businesses that make this city special. From grabbing a drink at New Moon to buying a new book (or three or four) at the Book Tavern, checking out a Westobou art exhibit or catching an Augusta Symphony performance at the Miller Theatre, there truly is something for everyone downtown.
Here’s to a sweet next chapter.
Stay in the Downtown Conversation
The people and organizations keeping Augusta informed, connected and moving forward:
