A Blythewood contractor has opened a small home-improvement store at 10711 Wilson Blvd.
3G caters to homeowners, no matter the size of the job, said Matthew Graham, who runs the store with his parents, Skip and Renee Graham.
“There’s not much we don’t do,” he said. “We could build a house, or we could put on a storm door.”
The company will install parts purchased from any store, Graham said, and workers even will go to larger stores, such as Lowe’s, to help customers pick out materials and pieces for their renovation.
Having started their contracting business a few years before the Great Recession began, the Grahams have learned how to be “lean and practical” themselves and are cognizant of consumers’ budgets, he said.
In addition to services, the new store sells a variety of products – from windows to bathroom fixtures.
Shop shorts
• HomeGoods opened its first Columbia-area store recently in the Village at Sandhill in Northeast Richland. The 25,000-square-foot store carries a changing line of home fashions that it says sell for 20 percent to 60 percent less than typical department store prices. The store will employ 60 full- and part-time employees.
Gwen Rawls Italian Shoe Boutique recently opened in Trenholm Plaza in Forest Acres. The store sells a variety of European shoe fashions, ranging from $300 to $1,200. Most of the shoes sell for less than $500.
• Mo Mo’s Bistro at 2930 Devine St. has started serving lunch on Saturdays, opening at 11:30 a.m. and staying open through dinner. The restaurant made the decision in part to try to draw in Gamecock football fans looking to eat before or after the game or those looking for a place to watch the game, Chef Carlos Brown said. The wine bar and eatery specializing in French-influenced Southern cuisine will show all of USC’s televised games.
• The new McDonald’s at 1770 South Lake Drive in Lexington has opened its doors. It was built along the company’s new modern design lines. Sandra Webb is owner of the new restaurant, which has free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TV viewing, and a new style of furniture and color scheme.
• And speaking of McDonald’s, get ready to get caffeinated. Starting Sunday and continuing through Sept. 29, all McDonald’s restaurants in the Midlands will celebrate National Coffee Day by offering free small Premium Roast McCafe Coffee. Want more? Tweet #McDCoffeeWeek for a chance to win a free coffee week prize pack and follow @McD_Columbia for a chance to win free McDonald’s coffee for a year.
