Everyone knows that Palm Beach has some of the best shopping in America. In addition to the global luxury brands that have made Worth Avenue a glitzy shopping Mecca, Palm Beach is also filled with quirky local shops featuring the work of local artisans and fashion designers. The service at these local shops is unmatched, with shopkeepers personally rapping items with care and even carrying items to your car.

Now that we are in the midst of the holiday shopping season, we should all take a moment to appreciate how much these local businesses contribute to the Palm Beach community. It’s easy these days to just sit in front of your computer and get all the holiday shopping done on Amazon in an afternoon, but shopping locally has benefits that go beyond just the fact that Palm Beach boutiques have one-of-a-kind items.

Local businesses are a big part of what makes Palm Beach a vibrant community. The foot traffic generated by boutiques on Worth, Royal Poinciana Way, and County Road in turn fuels demand for restaurants and other businesses. If we abandon Palm Beach’s small businesses, eventually the town will be just another bedroom community where people drive to their houses after work to watch TV instead of interacting with our neighbors. Small businesses are the heart of the Palm Beach community, and they’re worth celebrating.

Read the full article here: Editorial: Give Back to Palm Beach