Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q Augusta hosted its grand opening Wednesday Dec. 13, with the help of the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce, an eager crowd and plenty of fanfare.
Mayor Garnett Johnson was also present to help usher in the Alabama-based eatery to the Garden City, saying, “It is always a great day when we have the opportunity to bring in community partners to our city,” and lauding the implications of the chain’s full title: Jim ‘N Nick’s Community Bar-B-Q.
The mayor joined staff and Chamber of Commerce members for the ribbon cutting, which company president Bryan Lyman did — per the restaurant chain’s custom — with a blowtorch, before offering attendees a free lunch.
“There’s a lot of love behind what we’ve been doing in here to get ready for you all today,” said Lyman. “Community has been a big part of our name… It’s really important that we make that statement early on.”
The new barbecue spot, with a menu boasting signatures such as pulled pork sandwiches, beef brisket and cheese biscuits, is the first in the CSRA, but among 16 current Georgia locations. Two more are slated to open in the state, in Statesboro and Warner Robins, after which it will have one more Georgia location than it has in its home state. It has nearly 50 throughout the Southeast, including three in South Carolina.
Alongside a ribbon-cutting ceremony, the opening celebration also included a $2,500 donation from Jim ‘N Nick’s to the Augusta Dream Center, a local non-profit devoted to aiding those in need through special services and programs, such as food and clothing pantries and literacy courses.
“These programs are focused on giving these adults that never had that resource to get education to get them a step up in this world,” said Haley Coleman, fundraising coordinator for the Dream Center. “We are so honored that Dominic’s chose us to receive this check today.”
The restaurant submitted plans earlier this year for 275 Robert C Daniel Jr. Parkway, the former site of Macaroni Grill, which was destroyed in a fire in 2016. Lyman noted the crew consists of 81, out of 1,200 applicants.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering business for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
