Local entrepreneurs gathered to share insights, make connections and collaborate at the most recent quarterly Accelerate event hosted by What Now Media Group.
The event took place at Auburn Angel, located at 302 Auburn Avenue NE. The restaurant comes from Asa Fain and Chef Robert Butts.
“It’s a beautiful space steeped in history. It’s a space we believe Auburn Avenue deserves,” Fain said of the restaurant.
Auburn Angel first opened in April 2024 and has since undergone a refresh and creative revamp. Fain and Butts are excited about what’s to come.
“We’ve got really interesting things in store, and some amazingly talented people,” Fain said. “It’s even better than before.”
The restaurant is relaunching oyster and caviar service (“Who can say no to some good oysters?” Butts said); bringing back dinner service Thursday, Friday and Saturday starting Jan. 16; and introducing a brunch/café set-up on weekends featuring fresh-baked pastries, fresh-ground coffee, mimosas and more during the day.
“Here at Auburn Angel, we want it to feel like home. We want it to be inviting to enjoy and experience things you can’t experience on the daily,” Butts said. “It’s a restaurant for everybody, not of a certain class or race. It’s for people who enjoy great food and want to come out with their family or a nice date night.”
Restaurants, wellness concepts and more were represented at the free December 2024 event, where attendees gave updates on their existing and upcoming businesses, sharing their triumphs and challenges.
Guests also got to try sweet treats from Courtney Jones of Bella Amour Chocolates, a local confections company with a new location at Municipal Market.
The industry-leading experts in What Now Media Group’s network of Preferred Partners help new businesses open and existing businesses grow. Partners in attendance at December’s event include SpotOn, Our Town America, Encompass Interactive, Homegrown, Martin Recruiting Partners and Coca-Cola.
The event featured both new and returning attendees, who shared updates about their progress.
Randy Tyson, the owner of the shaved-ice concept Sneaux Icy Snowballs, attended an Accelerate event in December 2023. Now, a year later, his storefront in East Point is open.
Cassandra Ingram, the owner of Urban Grind, shared the inspiration behind her coffee shop, which was inspired by cozy New York City cafés. Urban Grind is working on a new shipping container location.
Another topic discussed was sales tax automation. Taxes are a monthly obligation that consume valuable time and money, and mistakes can be costly. Our partners at DAVO by Avalara offer a powerful tool that automates every step of the sales tax process – from collecting to filing to paying. It integrates seamlessly with your POS system, so there’s nothing you need to do once you’re set up. What Now Media Group presented on behalf of Chris Chan and Cris Vickery of DAVO at this Accelerate event.
DAVO simplifies sales tax management with a one-time setup process. Once you complete this simple setup, DAVO handles everything for you. They collect and set aside sales tax daily, using data from your POS system, so you don’t have to worry about having enough cash at the end of the month. Additionally, DAVO automatically files your state sales tax on time, guaranteed. Did you know that some states even offer a discount for on-time filing? If you’re interested in learning how to eliminate the stress of sales tax, visit our partners at DAVO or contact them directly for more information.
This is the type of essential service that restaurant owners can learn about at Accelerate events, where they can connect with service providers and experts who can solve their problems or questions.
Stay tuned for future Accelerate events from What Now Media Group in 2025. See the Accelerate page here for more details.
What Now Media Group shares restaurant opening news in 31 cities across the U.S., breaking news and providing timely insight into yet-to-open brick-and-mortar businesses. Across all 31 cities, the platform shares news of thousands of openings a year.
