Editor’s note: When I started at The Augusta Press, covering business was a totally new concept to me. It’s been a learning experience above all else, forcing me out of my comfort zone and encouraging me to try new things and push myself. In this newer iteration of the business column, I wanted to reach out and check in with a couple of the business owners I’ve covered this year who have opened new businesses or changed course in the last year.
This week, I spoke with with Christina Watson of Bike Bike Baby and Eric Kinlaw of Bee’s Knees and Hive Bodega about a combination of a new business to the area and an established name with a fresh concept.
Bike Bike Baby
Alvin and Christina Watson moved to Augusta from New Orleans and have operated their guided bike tour business since March of 2021. After six months of business, Christina Watson said it’s been up and down.
“Sometimes we’ll be really busy for a week or two in a row; then we might have a down week,” Watson said. “Our night leisure rides have been popular, where we ride out at night when it’s cool and we visit an event, a restaurant or bar.”
Watson said an art tour is now available, and they are always offering unique experiences for customers to try.
On Sept. 18, a date night bike ride is on the agenda. That includes a ride to an exclusive location for dinner and quality time together on the ride there and back. A singles ride will be Oct. 2. Singles are paired together based on a compatibility test and then go on a ride together to explore and chat.
MORE: Bike Tour Business is Wheels Up Downtown
Watson said the fall and cooler weather should hopefully bring an uptick in business.
“That’s the hope. It will be easier for folks to come out and ride as it cools down at night and it’s more pleasant,” she said. “We will ramp up our events to coincide with that.”
Watson said more events are planned for 2022, including a Mardi Gras ball. The New Orleans natives are excited for that one.
“As a business-minded person, I want it to be growing faster than it is,” Watson said. “But I have to take a breath and say, ‘Hey, greatness takes time.'”
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Bee’s Knees Coffee and Curios & Hive Bodega
Eric Kinlaw took some time to re-think his businesses, Bee’s Knees and Hive, before re-opening after a months-long hiatus. Both restaurant concepts are different now, and he said that the community hasn’t quite figured them out yet.
“We need more people to give us a chance,” Kinlaw said. “People can be resistant to change, and we are different now. We just need people to give us a shot.”
Kinlaw said that as much as he wants the Augusta community to buy in to the new concepts, he’s learned a lot in the couple of weeks since the doors swung open once again.
“What I’ve learned the most so far is to be patient. And if Augusta isn’t quite ready for us, I need to do more educating.”
What Kinlaw meant by that is informing potential customers how the businesses have changed and better prepare them for what to expect when they walk in the door.
Bee’s Knees no longer serves meat, one decision Kinlaw wanted to cling to when he re-opened, and half of the restaurant’s seating has been converted into a curio shop, with records, antiques and other items for sale.
MORE: Hive Bodega, Bee’s Knees Coffee and Curios Opening in August
Hive has shifted from a bar with premium bar snacks to more of a coffee, tea, and alcohol take-away bar with ample room to peruse and buy market goods.
He said some people come in and are a little confused by the change, but the people who try it “love it.”
Kinlaw said he’s trying to adjust his social media approach, expand the menu and try new things while gathering feedback from the community on how to improve. He wants to encourage the community to make their way to 10th Street and try something new.
“Same quality, just a different approach, a different concept. Give us a try.”
Tyler Strong is the Business Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach him at tyler@theaugustapress.com.
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