Flock of businesses is set to open

Entrepreneurs keep rolling new businesses into the Martinez-Evans area, and several celebrated recent arrivals or are set to open in coming weeks.

An afternoon rainstorm wasn't enough to steal the thunder from the grand opening of Mark Perry's car wash, he said.

Perry, co-owner of The Shine Shop Auto Express car wash on Furys Ferry Road, said his $5-a-car automated drive-through business washed 60 cars June 2 before the deluge.

Perry said he plans a second location in Aiken.

"We're excited to be a part of this community," he said. "We put a lot of effort deciding which community to start in, and this is a great place."

Perry said his business offers fast, convenient car washes to individual customers and to businesses with large fleets.

May 30 marked the return of Little Caesars Pizza to Columbia County after an absence of several years.

Franchisee Garry Condrey said he moved to Columbia County to open his first pizza parlor after nine years with the company in Memphis, Tenn.

"People have been really excited about having Little Caesars back here," he said. "I'm very excited about being in the area, and we're looking forward to growing."

He said he picked Martinez instead of other Southeastern cities such as Atlanta and Nashville because he liked the Augusta area most of all.

The restaurant, on Columbia Road near North Belair Road, is a carryout-only location and offers Little Caesars' full line of pizza and wings, he said.

Also opening soon in the Martinez-Evans area are:

- the La-Z-Boy store at Mullins Crossing, which celebrates its grand opening Thursday

- the Daily Grind coffee shop in the new Liberty Square shopping center on Washington Road

- LuLu's Car Wash near Lowe's on Bobby Jones Expressway.