After weeks of peeking into the window at Du Jour Fine Foods, Michele Hattman said she was glad to make her first trip there Friday.
While on her lunch break, the downtown business owner purchased a box of cereal and a deli sandwich at the grocery. Ms. Hattman said the deli and grocery is just what downtown needed.
"I'm just so excited that it's here," she said. "It's just so much easier for me to stop by here and grocery shop rather than wait until I get home to shop in Hephzibah."
Shoppers strolled into the grocery in the 11th block of Broad Street on Friday to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, deli meat, bread and other items.
Du Jour adds one more stop for downtown business owners and dwellers who want to have food, fun and shopping all in one area, said Margaret Woodard, the executive director of the Downtown Development Authority of Augusta. About 3,000 people live in the downtown district and more than 17,000 work there, she said.
"I feel like it's a great alternative for this community," she said. "If you want to get a few things, and you don't want to go to North Augusta or get in your car to get it, this is a great shop to have a quick place to go to."
The store's owner, Andrea Lombardo, said that when she moved to Augusta a year ago she recognized the need for a grocery downtown.
"I noticed that when you're out downtown you can't find as much as a bottled water," the Brooklyn native said. "I just thought this would be a good place for people to pick up things for dinner and not have to go out to eat.
"I hope that providing this will be an incentive for more people to move downtown," she said.
Lydia Guisto, who lives a few blocks from Du Jour, said she was hoping the store would offer more of her grocery needs, but she still plans to shop there.
"I would like to see more things in bulk and more variety," she said. "For now, it's a good place to fill in the blanks with dairy and pasta. I'm glad to be able to get on my bike and pick up some groceries."
Reach Stephanie Toone at (706) 823-3215 or stephanie.toone@augustachronicle.com.
DU JOUR FINE FOODS
WHAT: A grocery and deli that offers pasta, bread, fresh fruits and vegetables, deli meats, soap, toilet paper and other domestic items
WHERE: 1128 Broad St.
HOURS: Monday-Sunday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
unless they are selling government cheese with free coupons, I give it all of 6 mos.
or one robbery..............or she gets shoplifted to death..........
HillGuy and ladyjage
Why are your comments always so rude and negative about everything? There are quite a few folks who don't fit your notions of downtown residents or visitors. Folks getting government cheese and shoplifting live in your neighborhoods, too.
georgia.girl, that's a pretty naive comment. Have you never been on Broad Street?
lol.....
Good luck! I wish you all the sucess!
....of course I wish good luck for any small business ...however, in this case I am afraid the owenrs of this business are looking at Broad Street through Rose Colored Glasses...
.....I can't stand "HillGuy" either...but this is one time I have to agree with him.
Georgia I'm sorry but those "negative" remarks are more fact.
I work downtown and have often thought the place needs a grocery store of sorts. Or even a Walgreens. I will be checking it out next week.
I'm with you Puddeecat. How wonderful to be able to grab a few things and sit down near Oglethorpe park on a bench, watching the water flow by and seeing the children play. Sound like it will be a great time for the family! I'll not be one to give in to the criminal element that seems to ruin everything for everyone. We'll be visiting Du Jour and we'll be coming HUNGRY!
In Charleston a LARGE grocery store was built inside the historic port warehouse building on the Cooper River that resembles the Old Train Depot in Augusta.
I wish them luck. But pasta and dairy aren't going to keep them in business. I would guess they will be closed by christmas. They just can't compete with the large stores and there isn't sufficient parking for customers to make it conveniennt. But, Georgia The next time I am downtown I will shop at your store, especially the deli section. BTW if you had chosen a better name you may have attracted more attention. Something like "Downtown Grocery" afterall we are in Augusta not Paris and I doubt if a dozen people downtown know French.
Within walking distance of a lot of the nice uptown area apartments. This could really enhance downtown living. Can't wait to check it out!
How are the prices?
Good Luck. Hope the folks from Richmond Summitt and Maxwell House apts don't shoplift you out of business.
Yea and I'm sure the "black gangs" read the newspaper too right?
Patricia, Once again you have shown your ignorance. GA girl's comments are not naive in any way. While they can be considered her opinion, a little research, I feel, will tend to show her comments as true.
Did you notice how the same people pick apart everything that's printed in the paper or on the TV? It's some good in everything but if you are negative then everything else to you will be too.
Welcome to Augusta, Andrea.
Dew Hickies Love Augusta!
Good Luck in your new business.
Good luck with the business and I don't mean this in any negative way. It would be nice to see this business succeed.
When was the last time some of you people actually got out of your cars and walked downtown? It sure has changed drastically for the better since I moved back here in the late 90's. It's the ignorant naysayers in this city that continue to hold it back--and they come in all colors! I think Du Jour is going to do well and I wish the owners the best of luck.
6 months, max.
This place looks far too upscale for that area. Augusta don't do upscale. Sell potato chips, beer, hot dogs, pimento cheese, bread, and milk.. and this business might make it.
It would be nice if the business survives; the break even point isn't reached until the third year of business--and can fold at anytime. And by the way, charliemanson, what's Maxwell House and Richmond Summit got to do with anything? Last I heard, Maxwell House catered to the elderly citizens; Richmond Summit is a housing division for low income. So you think all the residents there are shifty and prone to criminality????? Your opinion of the citizenry stinks.
tattoo parlors, pawn shops, liquor stores, and strip bars are the types of businesses that thrive on Broad Street
I wish the business well. It sounds like this business is after the same clientele the Fresh Market caters to, not the potato chips and beer crowd.
What thrives on the Hill? Nothing!
Guess you never heard of surrey center, the Augusta National, Augusta country club, daniel Village, Augusta State University, the partridge Inn, and all of the stately homes.
This business would have a much better chance in Surrey Center.
HillGuy, if you are talking about people who live on the hill, I would agree. But I also think about white collar workers who are working downtown who pick up specialty items. They are probably not wanting to go up Washington Rd. to stop at the Fresh Market.
Or go to Surrey Center. I wouldn't want to.