Mellow Mushroom in Augusta getting new look, changing location

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the size of Mellow Mushroom's new building. It is a one-story structure. The story has been updated.

One of downtown Augusta's dining hot spots is moving down the street and getting a new look.

On Tuesday, May 17, large teal and purple LED signs that read "Mellow Mushroom" were installed above what used to be 1102 Downtown Bar & Grill.

Owner Shawn Ledford said Wednesday morning "They did a short test last night, and they turned it on real quick to verify that they work, and some people out on the sidewalk went "'Oh my gosh it's on!'"

The move from 1167 Broad St. to 1102 Broad will increase Mellow Mushroom's property by over 3,000 square feet, according to the parcels' property reports.

The restaurant announced the move officially earlier this month on social media. They are also hiring front- and back-of-house staff.

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Augusta's Mellow Mushroom opened in downtown Augusta in 2003 as a passion project for Ledford. He explained that they are moving because he has been leasing for all of these years and couldn't strike a deal to own the property. Ledford owns the new location, and has been working to transform the old nightclub and grill into the bar and restaurant known for its unique, topping-rich pizzas and funky, colorful ambiance.

"It was a total gut, the entire building," he said. "We brought it up to all the current standards, we've done some pretty substantial renovations in design and décor inside, and some pretty cool features that's going to be very unique to Augusta."

Ledford also owns Mellow Mushroom locations in in Evans on Washington Road and in downtown Aiken at Bee Lane and Park Ave. SW. He said opening this new location was a lot easier and a lot less stressful than what it was like in 2003.

"When I did the first one, I had no restaurant experience. Now it's a lot easier understanding customer flow and how the restaurant should be set up and those things," Ledford said. "It's been a lot of fun doing this one."

A date for re-opening has not been determined yet, but there will be a week of space between when the "old" location closes and when the new one opens. Ledford said they will be posting those dates on social media as soon as they are determined.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Mellow Mushroom pizza restaurant in Augusta to move, change look