When guests arrive for the grand opening of the $100 million Georgia Cyber Center on Tuesday, July 10, the first sight they’ll see is Buona Caffe Artisan Roasted Coffee. The local coffee roaster will be serving coffee at its new coffee bar in the lobby of the Cyber Center’s Hull McKnight Building.

Buona Caffe is the first company to sign a lease at the cyber center, which will offer undergraduate- and graduate-level programs, as well as certificates, in cybersecurity and cyber sciences. The campus also will house the cyber crime unit of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, as well as office space for cyber industry-related companies and an incubator/accelerator supported by theClubhou.se.

“It says so much about the commitment of the Georgia Technology Authority and Augusta University to Augusta that they selected a local company for the coffee bar instead of a national chain,” Buona Caffe co-owner Pat Curry said. “This is an important investment in our local economy.”   

The Georgia Technology Authority is overseeing construction of the center and the coordination of partners. “From the beginning of this project, we’ve said we wanted to involve as many local Augusta businesses as possible” said Calvin Rhodes, GTA executive director and chief information officer for the state of Georgia.  “We’ve heard nothing but good things about Buona Caffe from our Augusta partners, and are excited to have John and Pat on board.  We all look forward to having them as a part of the Cyber Center family and hope they’ll be very successful here.  This will be a great amenity for the students and faculty, employees and tenants in the building.”

In addition to serving coffee for the grand opening, Buona Caffe will provide breakfast and a coffee station on Wednesday, July 11, for the GTA’s annual Technology Summit. Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal will deliver remarks at both the grand opening and the summit.  

The new coffee bar will officially open when Augusta University classes begin on Aug. 15.  Currently, Buona Caffe plans to have the coffee bar open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays, serving a similar menu to its location at 1858 Central Ave.    

“We’re incredibly excited about this new location,” Buona Caffe co-owner John Curry said. “The Cyber Center is ushering in a new era in the life of downtown Augusta, and we are literally in on the ground floor. We can’t wait to open.”