Now Opening: Old fire station, possibly for sale; marina food stand open weekdays

A brief look at openings, closings and other changes in Augusta-area business:

FIRE SALE, POSSIBLY: A historical downtown Augusta property that may or may not have been a fire station is on the market for $550,000.

The 17,000-square-foot brick industrial space is at 712 Ellis St., placing it in the Augusta Downtown Historic District.

Online real estate listings describe the property as "Former Firehouse Downtown Augusta." When asked Friday, the preservation nonprofit Historic Augusta couldn't immediately find supporting documentation that 712 Ellis used to be a fire station. It seems to resemble one, especially with an industrial bay door fronting the street.

Old fire insurance maps list a dwelling at the address in 1884 and 1890, according to Historic Augusta Executive Director Erick Montgomery. A city directory from 1901 and a 1904 fire map show a livery stable at neighboring 714 Ellis. Montgomery said he would place the building's construction date at 1901.

Previously: Fuji Asian changing owners; two hotels coming to Grovetown; coffee downtown

Also: Antiques in downtown DeLaigle House; hookah bar becoming actual bar

A 1908 ad in The Augusta Chronicle shows Augusta Motor Co. at 712 Ellis as a shop that sold and repaired automobiles. Other ads indicate that more auto sellers and repairers followed at the same address – Security Garage (1912), C.G. Kelly and Co. (1922), Walters and Morris (1926), Heaton and Lombard (1928).

Also in 1928 the building was fitted to be a Nehi soda-bottling plant. A 1935 Chronicle ad shows Dixie Radio and Electric Co. at 712 Ellis, and a 1948 ad lists Williamson Motor Co. at the address. More recently, Rhodes Import Service used the building through the 1980s.

The building "includes three car bays with lifts on the first floor and a concrete ramp to the second floor," according to the building's real estate listing. "This building is perfect for an existing auto repair concept, retail or warehouse," it suggests.

DIFFERENT TIME, SAME PLACE: Riverside Café has been serving up hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken fingers, ice cream and other American fare near the Fifth Street Marina since 2019. The only times visitors could enjoy the food were Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Not anymore.

The food stand announced Tuesday that it is opening on weekdays. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays it will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and on Thursdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The hours now extend to 6 p.m. on the weekends, too.