Correction note: an earlier version of this story stated that doors at the Sole restaurant were boarded up. This is inaccurate: it is a window that has been boarded up at Sole, which is still open. The error has been corrected.
Downtown business owners are feeling the ripple effects of a shooting incident that occurred on Broad Street early Saturday morning, as the GBI and RCSO continue their investigation.
Doors at Marbury Property Management and a window at the Sole restaurant, both on the 10th block of Broad, are boarded up. The 11th block, which includes popular downtown spots such as Firehouse, Garden City Social and Grantski Records, was blocked off Saturday afternoon to make way for investigators.
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Some downtown proprietors seized the opportunity to vocalize their concern in the aftermath. One of them was Adrian Estrada, the owner of Broad Street bar The Loft, who questioned Sheriff Richard Roundtree about the degree of late-night police presence downtown, citing occasions where he said RCSO has responded too slowly or not at all to calls for help.
Estrada has since been vocal about his belief a new sheriff is key to ensuring safety for his business, his patrons and those who live and walk downtown.
“I hope people vote and make a change,” said Estrada, who now has posters supporting Roundtree’s opponent in the upcoming runoff election for Richmond County Sheriff, Eugene “Gino Rock” Brantley, displayed on The Loft’s windows. “Because it’s got to be safe for you walking down the street, or being able to walk back to your car,” he said.
Estrada says he has his employees park within view of his bar’s security cameras, and that workers won’t leave early due to safety concerns. He stresses that bar owners shouldn’t have to take the brunt of the responsibility of protecting patrons.
“You’re going to get the bar owners and everybody else to start protecting themselves. You’re going to have a lot more blood on your hands,” he said. “I don’t think that’s the way to go. Our customers deserve so much better than that.”
Chris McCarthy, the manager of Joe’s Underground tavern at Eighth and Broad, suspects that police presence will likely increase, and bar crowds decrease, for the next couple of months, particularly on usual busy nights like Thursdays and Fridays.
“I don’t think we’ll see near as much [business] as we would have expected because people are afraid to go downtown again,” said McCarthy, who, drawing on past experience, is nonetheless hopeful that the normal pace of downtown weekend activities will return as memory of the incident wanes.
McCarthy noted that the best bar owners and managers can do is assure their customers that establishments are doing all they can to make sure that visitors are safe.
“But it’s not happening in the bars. It’s not happening in clubs. It’s happening on the streets out front,” he said. “We can only do so much. It really is upon the sheriff’s department, and as much as I don’t like to admit it, it is also on the people themselves. Just go home for the night.”
Michael Wolff, who has been conducting tours downtown through his Augusta Tours & Events, is saddened by the incident, but also decries the perception of downtown—and even First Friday—such occurrences encourage.
“It’s so much easier for people to say all the negativity,” said Wolff, who believes that there should be greater police presence downtown at night, but also that public emphasis should be on how to address the violence. “Part of that solution process is being creative about it, but also being positive about it. You’ve got to push through it.”
Kendra Fryer, a hairstylist who subcontracts out of the Alter’D Salon and Spa at 720 Broad St. and frequents downtown still feels safe there at night even amid events like Saturday morning’s shooting.
“It was blown out of proportion because it’s Broad Street,” she said. “You don’t come downtown expecting something’s going to happen, and when it does happen, it’s not the people that are frequenting downtown.”
While those who live, regularly visit or do business along downtown Augusta’s popular corridor want it to be safe, they also want people to understand there’s a reason why people still come downtown.
McCarthy noted the good food at places like Frog Hollow Tavern, Whiskey Bar and Tacocat, and regular family-friendly events at Augusta Common. Wolff’s determination to continue leading locals and visitors alike on tours of downtown has not faltered. Fryer still affectionately refers to downtown as her “living room” because it feels like home.
“I want to take care of my home you know,” she said. “We all take care of one another.”
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
