Little Guide Augusta

09/13/2026

Ashley Gardner approaches bo***ir photography with a quiet kind of intention.

At Bo***ir by Ashley, the session is shaped around comfort, trust, and the belief that a person should not have to perform confidence to be photographed beautifully. Lighting, styling, pacing, and privacy are all considered carefully, creating room for clients to settle into the experience instead of feeling rushed through it.

Ashley's path began with family photography in California in 2015 before shifting toward bo***ir after she relocated to Augusta in 2019. That transition sharpened her focus on self-perception and the way an image can help someone see themselves differently. Her work is moody and refined, but the experience behind it is reassuring. The final photographs matter; so does the feeling of being seen without pressure.

Read the full Bo***ir by Ashley story in Little Guide Augusta:

https://vist.ly/5iab7

What makes a photographer help you feel comfortable in front of the camera? Tell us below!

***irByAshley

Follow Little Guide Augusta to discover more local businesses and the stories behind them.

09/13/2026

Ashley Day leads Laurelwood Equipment Co. with a belief that the right equipment should come with the right guidance.

Since 1996, Laurelwood Equipment Co. has helped homeowners and professionals take on outdoor work with tools they can rely on. Under Ashley's leadership, that reputation continues through a broad mix of equipment for residential and commercial needs, paired with the kind of straightforward service that helps customers feel confident about what they are buying or renting.

Zero-turn and robotic mowers, handheld and battery-powered tools, arborist supplies, and rental equipment all have a place in the lineup. But the larger experience is built around old-fashioned customer service: listening first, understanding the job, and helping someone leave with the right solution instead of simply the most expensive one. For many local customers, that combination of dependable products, fair pricing, and honest guidance is what keeps Laurelwood Equipment Co. at the top of the list when another outdoor project comes around.

Read the full Laurelwood Equipment Co. story in Little Guide Augusta:

https://vist.ly/5i9ua

What outdoor project is currently at the top of your list?



Follow Little Guide Augusta to discover more local businesses and the stories behind them.

09/12/2026

When Sam Corujo opened Dahlia Salon + Spa in Evans in 2016, she wanted to create more than a place for appointments.

With more than 15 years in the beauty industry, Sam built Dahlia around mentorship, professionalism, and a culture where both stylists and clients can feel supported. Continued education is part of the foundation, helping the team grow technical skills, confidence, and creativity together.

That culture now fills a larger space after Dahlia tripled its team and relocated in 2022. Twelve skilled stylists offer everything from natural tones and vivid color transformations to Novalash eyelash extensions and esthetic services including brow tinting and lamination, lash lifts, and tinting. Dahlia also serves as a Novalash training location, with Sam leading certification across Georgia.

Read the full Dahlia Salon + Spa story in Little Guide Augusta:

https://vist.ly/5i83p

Are you more likely to book a subtle refresh or a bold transformation? Tell us below!



Follow Little Guide Augusta to discover more local businesses and the stories behind them.

09/12/2026

A good automotive shop fixes vehicles. A trusted one builds relationships that keep drivers coming back.

Robbie's Automotive Service Center has served the Augusta area since 2014, combining Robbie’s decades of industry experience with a team he is quick to credit for the shop’s success. Many employees have been there for years, creating the consistency customers notice.

The culture reflects an old-school service station mentality inspired by Robbie’s stepfather: work hard, show respect, and genuinely care for the customer. From routine maintenance and diagnostics to complex repairs across makes and models, the team approaches each vehicle as if it were their own.

Read the full Robbie's Automotive Service Center story in Little Guide Augusta:

https://vist.ly/5i7ku

What makes you trust an automotive shop enough to become a repeat customer?



Follow Little Guide Augusta to discover more local businesses and the stories behind them.

09/11/2026

Every once in a while, Your Little Guide Girl gets invited to lunch and walks away thinking…THOSE are my kind of people. ❤️

That’s exactly what happened when Don and Jenn Thompson of Thompson Properties Group took me to lunch. And here’s what stood out to me most: not once did our conversation turn to numbers. Not how many homes they’ve sold. Not how many clients they have. Not how big they want to become.

Instead, we talked about people. Family. Community. Giving back.

And y’all, that tells you an awful lot about who Don and Jenn are.

For them, real estate isn’t simply helping someone buy or sell a house. They understand they’re being trusted to walk alongside people through one of the biggest and most personal decisions of their lives, and they don’t take that responsibility lightly.

Don believes in honesty, even when the honest answer isn’t necessarily the easiest one. Jenn believes in making people feel heard, cared for and supported like family. Together, they’re building Thompson Properties Group around relationships instead of transactions. But what REALLY stayed with me after lunch was hearing how deeply they believe that growing a successful business should also mean having a greater opportunity to pour back into the community that supports you.

Charity work. Serving others. Strengthening the CSRA. For Don and Jenn, those aren’t marketing talking points. It’s simply how they choose to live. Don and Jenn are different. And it shows.

This is exactly why I love what I get to do, getting to sit across the table from people like these two, hear their stories and then introduce them to YOU. ❤️

I have a feeling you’ll be hearing a lot more about the Thompson Properties Group!

And speaking of amazing local businesses, our 2027 Little Guide is filling up FAST! If you own a local business—or know one Your Little Guide Girl NEEDS to know about—send me a message!

— Your Little Guide Girl,
Elaine

09/11/2026

A green yard does not always have to come with mowing, mud, or constant upkeep.

Savannah River Turf, LLC, owned and operated by Zachary Michael, creates synthetic turf spaces for homes and businesses across Augusta and the surrounding area. As an authorized Synthetic Turf International dealer, the company installs durable, realistic turf for pet-friendly yards, putting greens, playgrounds, commercial spaces, and more.

Each project is tailored to the property and backed by a one-year warranty. The team can also add landscaping, flower bed design, shrub placement, and even custom turf logos for businesses and sports facilities.

Read the full Savannah River Turf, LLC story in Little Guide Augusta:

https://vist.ly/5i4is

Where would low-maintenance turf make the biggest difference for you?



Follow Little Guide Augusta to discover more local businesses and the stories behind them.

09/11/2026

❤️ Some Little Guide stories are just too good to tell only once…and some families are just too special not to welcome BACK!

I am SO excited to officially welcome Katelyn and the entire Peanut’s Laundry family back to the Little Guide Family! And if you’re thinking, “Elaine, you’re this excited about a laundromat?” Yep. I sure am. Because once you know the family behind Peanut’s Laundry, you understand pretty quickly that this story has never really been about laundry.

It started with Steven Dawkins, better known as “Peanut”—and one little laundromat in Lincolnton back in 2001. What he started has now grown to 10 locations across Georgia, with his family right there beside him. Katelyn grew up in this business. It helped put her through college. She and Casey have poured themselves into growing it, even taking the huge leap of opening their Augusta location during COVID. And now their three little girls are growing up running around laundromats, watching Mom, Dad and Grandpa work side by side just like Katelyn did.

Y’all…THAT is a family business. ❤️

But what has always stuck with me most about Katelyn and her family is how much they care about the communities they serve. They partner with local schools. They’ve hosted free laundry days with churches. They keep books available for kiddos who are hanging out while Mom or Dad gets the laundry done. They look for ways to make something as ordinary as laundry a little easier for families who may really need it.

And Katelyn will be the first to tell you where that heart came from—her dad. His work ethic, kindness and belief in taking care of people first are still at the center of everything they’re building. They may describe themselves as a small-town family who loves faith, football and time at the lake, but I think they’re building something pretty BIG.

Katelyn once told me their goal was for Peanut’s Laundry to become a household name. But the more I’ve gotten to know this family, the more I realize there’s an even bigger goal behind all of it. They’re building something they hope will still be here for their children one day. Something their girls can grow up being proud of, become a part of if they choose, and maybe even carry forward for another generation—just like Katelyn is doing with what her dad started all those years ago.

A household name is the dream. A family legacy is something even bigger. ❤️ With this family behind it? I wouldn’t bet against either one.

Welcome BACK to the Little Guide Family, Peanut’s Laundry family! We are so happy to have y’all with us for another year and even happier that I get to keep sharing the PEOPLE behind this incredible local business.

Now help Your Little Guide Girl give the Peanut’s Laundry family some LOVE! ❤️

— Your Little Guide Girl,
Elaine

09/11/2026

More than a century of local banking creates a lot of opportunities to learn what a community actually needs.

Security Federal Bank was founded locally in 1922 and continues to put relationships at the center of its approach. With 19 branches across Georgia and South Carolina, the bank combines hometown service with modern convenience for families and businesses.

Its community investment stretches from youth accounts and in-school programs in more than 40 elementary schools to free one-on-one financial counseling. Business clients receive tailored support, while the mobile app includes live online chat with real team members during business hours.

Read the full Security Federal Bank story in Little Guide Augusta:

https://vist.ly/5i3ki

What makes a bank feel genuinely local to you?



Follow Little Guide Augusta to discover more local businesses and the stories behind them.

09/10/2026

When a longtime Montessori program in Augusta closed unexpectedly, local families needed more than a new classroom. They needed continuity.

Peace Pod Montessori stepped in to preserve the rhythm of authentic Montessori learning while creating a community of its own. Mixed-age classrooms, two teachers in each class, and hands-on work allow children to learn at an individual pace while building confidence and independence.

Flexible enrollment also gives families navigating transitions a place where children can find consistency. Alongside academics, Peace Pod Montessori weaves cultural awareness, peace, and care for the planet into everyday learning.

Read the full Peace Pod Montessori story in Little Guide Augusta:

https://vist.ly/5hwy3

What quality do you most hope a learning environment nurtures in a child?



Follow Little Guide Augusta to discover more local businesses and the stories behind them.

09/09/2026