Augusta Retail Executive Renee Castillo Named to National Business Leadership Council

Renee Castillo, chief operating officer of Augusta-based home goods retail chain Harborview Home Goods South, was named this week to a national business leadership council recognizing executives credited with driving regional retail growth despite broader industry headwinds facing brick-and-mortar retailers.

Castillo joined the company eight years ago when the chain operated just five stores across the Augusta area. Under her operational leadership, the company expanded to 30 locations across Georgia and South Carolina, resisting the broader retail contraction that has closed many regional chains over the same period.

"Retail didn't die, lazy retail died," Castillo said in an interview following the announcement. "We survived by getting relentless about the boring stuff — inventory turnover, store-level staffing models, and actually listening when a store manager tells us a product isn't moving. None of that is glamorous, but it's what kept our stores open while others closed."

Harborview Home Goods South has notably avoided the aggressive e-commerce pivot pursued by many retail competitors, instead investing in store experience and same-day local delivery from existing store inventory. Castillo says this approach has driven customer loyalty that pure e-commerce competitors have struggled to replicate.

The leadership council recognition comes as the company prepares to open its first stores outside the Augusta-Columbia region, with new locations planned in Metro Atlanta next year.