Business

Ace Hardware South Fulton is celebrating its soft opening today in Old National Marketplace. Owned by father-son duo Warren Pegram and Charlston Austin, the location is a welcome addition to the existing retail mix. (Story continues below...) Photo: Ace Hardware South Fulton is now open and it’s a family affair. Warren Pegram and his stepson Charlston Austin, the store’s proprietors, are taking extra steps to ensure a safe shopping experience for customers. During a time when many retailers have closed their doors amid coronavirus concerns, hardware stores have been classified as essential businesses in most jurisdictions. Pegram says that he and his team are taking extra measures to ensure that shoppers and employees are safe. Shoppers will find plexiglass shields and hand s...

GreyStone Power is sending its members capital credits early to help ease the hardship that many may face during the COVID-19 outbreak. The cooperative’s Board of Directors approved a record $15 million Capital Credits Early Refund. Members who had power with GreyStone in 2019 will receive a credit on their May bills. “This early capital credits return gives our members an additional form of support during a time of uncertainty. As a not-for-profit cooperative, our only reason for existence is to serve our members,” said GreyStone Power President/CEO Gary Miller. Each year, GreyStone returns a portion of prior years’ margins to members. Capital credits usually represent a portion of the margins from the most recent year and the oldest previous year(s). This return typically occu...

At Walmart, many of the members of its essential workforce are high schoolers set to graduate this May. The East Point location alone hires more than 100 students each year who typically attend school in Atlanta and South Fulton County. The East Point store has announced that starting today it will honor its seniors with Wal-Chella Senior Week, a Beychella-themed celebration. Co-manager Robert Belcher says that while he knows his teen employees are mourning missed proms and other activities, he hopes that the in-store events will be something fun that they'll always remember. "The goal is to create the memories that they would ultimately miss," said Belcher. "Of course this won’t replace the actual memories they would have had at school but I wanted to give the hardworking seniors...

A new online survey has been launched to learn how COVID-19 is impacting South Fulton businesses. City leaders hope the data will reveal how the businesses are faring financially and ways to support them. Some business owners are already reporting significant losses in revenue. "We're hearing from many of our businesses that revenue is down drastically," said Christopher Pike, economic development director. "The feedback provided in the survey will help inform the decision we make related to recovery efforts conducted by the city." The survey will be available online until April 18.  It consists of 20 simple questions and should take about four minutes to complete. As the data comes in, South Fulton is already rolling out initiatives to help business owners. The city has l...

The Small Business Administration (SBA) is partnering with local organizations to host a series of webinars designed to help small businesses learn more about financial relief options available. The University of Georgia's Small Business Development Center is hosting a series of webinars on April 6 - 7 to provide an overview of SBA COVID-19 relief programs, answer questions and offer support. Ashley Bell, SBA southeast regional administrator, will be a special guest on tonight's Telephone Town Hall on Coronavirus with Congressman David Scott. He'll join South Fulton leaders and others from across the metro area tomorrow at noon for "The Path Forward: Small Business COVID-19 Crisis Virtual Town Hall." Terri Denison, SBA district director, will join the Atlanta Business League's "...

In many cities across the U.S., the building permit application process has been halted to limit city personnel's interaction with the public amid COVID-19 concerns. However, some cities - including South Fulton - are quickly adapting, and moving operations online. Starting on April 6, South Fulton's Community Development and Regulatory Affairs Department will implement a paperless, online system for submitting, tracking and managing all permit applications, associated documents and building plans. In 2019 alone, South Fulton issued 1,957 building permits. The online system will allow the department to continue to generate revenue, as well as streamline operations for applicants. “The city’s new system will provide a more efficient, user-friendly experience,” said Shayla Reed, dire...

Ace Hardware is opening in the Old National Marketplace shopping center next month and it’s a family affair. Warren Pegram and his stepson Charlston Austin, the store’s proprietors, invited the community into the 12,600 square-foot space on Friday to share their vision and values. The event was held in partnership with the South Fulton Chamber and attended by city officials and members of the Old National Merchants Association. A representative from Inland Property Management said that the hardware store will complement the current retail lineup, and assist in the company’s strategic plan to diversity the shopping center’s offerings. Story continues below... The opening of Ace Hardware comes at a time when the City of South Fulton is encouraging small business ownership as p...