#STOREFRONTSTORIES
Behind every storefront, there’s a story.
Think about the local shops and restaurants you’ve missed most – the places and people that have become part of your daily life. Like the barista who knows you by name. The restaurant where you celebrate every family birthday. The boutique owner who always has time to chat and gives your dog treats. These businesses are what make The Royal Poinciana Plaza feel like home, and the sense of connection they bring feels more valuable than ever.
Now, as they reopen their doors, we’re highlighting our Royal family through a new series, #storefrontstories. Through photos and five-minute interviews, we’re showcasing and celebrating the people behind the businesses you love, who have persevered through uncertain times and continue to make The Royal Poinciana Plaza so special.
Watch the stories unfold below and on Instagram and get excited to return to your favorites. Want to see a certain business featured? Let us know!
ALICE + OLIVIA
CAPEHART
CASSANDRA CUNNINGHAM, STORE MANAGER
Q: What do you love most about your work and being part of the Royal family?
A: What I love most about working for Alice and Olivia is the company camaraderie, there is a level of support and loyalty between our corporate team and overall division that makes you feel like family. I can say the same with the Royal family, everyone is so supportive and I am proud to call the Royal “Family.”
Q: What’s one positive thing that came out of the shutdown?
A: As a company we became very creative with our virtual styling concepts, we made long lasting relationships with our omni clients.
“What I love most about working for Alice and Olivia is the company camaraderie, there is a level of support and loyalty … I can say the same with the Royal family.”
Q: What are you most excited to do once you’re back?
A: Interact with people!
Q: What’s one interesting fact about you or your business that you want your customers to know?
A: Fun Fact about me: I am a Vegan and a twin mom.
BOGNAR & PICCOLINI
CAPEHART
GLORIA GIUDICI, REGIONAL MANAGER
Abbe Sorbara, Sales Associate, also pictured
Q: What do you love most about your work and being part of the Royal family?
A: I wake up everyday happy knowing it will be a great day at The Royal! I love my job, I get inspired from each person that comes into the store; and I love my team and being part of the community.
Q: What’s one positive thing that came out of the shutdown?
A: It gave us the opportunity to do something for the community. Since shutdown, we donated 1000 face masks a week to South Florida Institutions, hospitals, PB Police and Firemen among others. We also were able to provide curbside pick up for masks for people that needed them right away. The shutdown also pushed us to launch our online store so more people were able to get their masks in days.
“I wake up everyday happy knowing it will be a great day at The Royal! I love my job, I get inspired from each person that comes into the store; and I love my team and being part of the community.”
Q: What are you most excited to do once you’re back?
A: Welcoming all our customers back, interacting with people, helping the community, and feeling we are a little closer to normal.
Q: What’s one interesting fact about you or your business that you want your customers to know?
A: We are here for the community, we listen to every suggestion and we take action. Personally, I am beyond thankful to the whole community that helped us promote and purchase masks, so we were able to do our weekly donations.
CELIS PRODUCE
CAPEHART
ALEX CELIS + CAMILO CELIS, CO-OWNERS
Q+A with Camilo Celis
Q: What do you love most about your work and being part of the Royal family?
A: I love my work because it’s my passion. It’s something that I enjoy every single day. Nothing is more rewarding than working with my team, serving our amazing customers, and being a part of the Royal community. We came to the Royal during the first stages of it being brought back to life, so just to see it grow, meeting and getting to know all the administration staff, business owners and employees makes you feel you are part of a close knit community that makes my work that much more enjoyable.
Q: What’s one positive thing that came out of the shutdown?
A: We decided to implement online ordering through Celis itself. You can now order and pay for menu items through our website (www.celis-produce.com) and pick up in store. This allows less wait for our customers, and no contact at register transactions. Did I mention we also introduced a new line of breakfast burritos?!
“My hopes are that my good mood will lift up your spirits if you’re not having the best day. If that doesn’t help, maybe a nice Pumphouse cold brew coffee with vanilla coconut creamer will give that boost you need, that’s always my plan B.”
Q: What are you most excited to do once you’re back?
A: I’m most excited to see what we can plan for the upcoming season. We like to brainstorm and discuss what we can improve on to create a better customer experience whether it be the menu, in store environment, and/or customer service experience. We always try to improve from previous season experiences. I’m also looking forward to just seeing everyone again, our regular customers and the employees from all the businesses in the plaza.
Q: What’s one interesting fact about you or your business that you want your customers to know?
A: I’m always in a good mood! My hopes are that my good mood will lift up your spirits if you’re not having the best day. If that doesn’t help, maybe a nice Pumphouse cold brew coffee with vanilla coconut creamer will give that boost you need, that’s always my plan B.
CREMIEUX
CAPEHART
TERRY ZMYSLO, STORE MANAGER
Angela Daniels, Assistant Store Manager, also pictured
Q: What do you love most about your work and being part of the Royal family?
A: I love that Cremieux is a family-owned luxury menswear company, founded in Saint-Tropez, France in 1976.
We believe that our small-scale approach, born from the sartorial dreams of our founder, Daniel Crémieux, provides our customers with clothing that is both modern and timeless, with style and sophistication that hovers above the trends, but an overall aesthetic that is unmistakably of the moment. Our story is special, as is our world-class product. The opportunity to represent the brand in Palm Beach at The Royal is perfect as both share a sense of family and best represent an iconic and historic story.
Q: What’s one positive thing that came out of the shutdown?
A: Our loyal clients responded eagerly to our increased communications online enlightening us to the significant opportunities to strengthen relationships with them via our virtual store or on our website. In addition, our frequent emails highlighted our roster of key men’s staples perfect for spending more time at home and the Palm Beach lifestyle.
“The opportunity to represent the brand in Palm Beach at The Royal is perfect as both share a sense of family and best represent an iconic and historic story.”
Q: What are you most excited to do once you’re back?
A: The priority was to clean the store and prepare to host clients while meeting CDC guidelines. That was followed by receiving the remainder of our Spring/Summer Collection and updating the mannequins. The most exciting element of being back is seeing our clients once again!
Q: What’s one interesting fact about you or your business that you want your customers to know?
A: Founder, Daniel Cremieux flew to New York in late 60’s and fell more deeply in love with the Preppy menswear of traditional brands. He returned to France with the desire to create the best French preppy brand available, a modern interpretation of this very traditional look.
Daniel has the fashion business in his blood, quite literally. His father owned clothing stores in the south of France, and Daniel followed in his footsteps. In 1976, Daniel Crémieux launched his own brand.
He opened the first shop in Saint-Tropez, on the French Riviera between Nice and Marseille. This famous city in France is the place where actors, singers and artists from all around the world meet. This was the first store, soon to be followed by others in Paris and Aix Provence. Just as he still does, Daniel looked to his roots in this early approach to fashion – blending the sophisticated style of Paris with the relaxed and chic attitude of St. Tropez and now ideally suited for Palm Beach.
EDWARD FLEMING SALON
CAPEHART
EDDIE FLEMING + EDWARD FLEMING, CO-OWNERS
Q: What do you love most about your work and being part of the Royal family?
A: “Being a hairdresser has always been very rewarding over my career and the best part is hearing a client say “No one does my hair as good as you Edward.” Whether styling the hair of multiple generations of women on the island – grandmothers, mothers, daughters, grand-daughters – to traveling the world to cut hair for high society, to styling in New York and Palm Beach for storied icons like Audrey Hepburn, Dina Merrill, and Liza Minnelli earlier on in my career, my career has been rich and fulfilling. I could write a book!”
Q: What’s one positive thing that came out of the shutdown?
A: If there is anything positive about the shutdown it is the affirmation of our clients’ loyalty and the support of the Royal management.
“Being a hairdresser has always been very rewarding over my career and the best part is hearing a client say, ‘No one does my hair as good as you, Edward.’”
Q: What are you most excited to do once you’re back?
A: I am excited to get back to work, to get busy again, although it’s likely to be a long summer. We are abiding by all the COVID requirements and so far, so good, masked and ready to hear you say …
GAVLAK GALLERY
CAPEHART
SARAH GAVLAK, OWNER
John McGurk, Director, and Nicole Bennett, Registrar, pictured
Q: What do you love most about your work and being part of the Royal family?
A: I love being able to bring art and artists to the Palm Beach community that are beautiful, thought–provoking and challenging. The cutting–edge, contemporary artists we represent often encourage us to see the world in a different way … one that points to the enormous injustice and inequality still prevalent in our culture, economy and government.
Q: What’s one positive thing that came out of the shutdown?
A: The shutdown enabled us to update and expand our online experience: we now offer new services (such as 360º virtual tours of exhibitions), and we have created viewing rooms for collectors and the public to access our exhibitions in both Palm Beach and Los Angeles online.
“The cutting–edge, contemporary artists we represent often encourage us to see the world in a different way.”
Q: What are you most excited to do once you’re back?
A: We just installed our Group Exhibition for the summer, so we are excited to showcase the work of: Jose Alvarez (D.O.P.A.), Alex Anderson, Lisa Anne Auerbach, Andrew Brischler, Gisela Colon, Judith Eisler, Deborah Kass, Nancy Lorenz, Maynard Monrow, Anthony Sonnenberg, and Rob Wynne.
Q: What’s one interesting fact about you or your business that you want your customers to know?
A: Since founding the gallery in 2005, our mission has always been to present work by women, LGBTQ and BIPOC artists.
KIRNA ZABÊTE
CAPEHART
SHANNON MCLEAN, ASSISTANT STORE DIRECTOR
Q: What do you love most about your work and being part of the Royal family?
A: I love the relaxed, yet elevated environment that the Plaza offers.
Q: What’s one positive thing that came out of the shutdown?
A: As stores begin to slowly open and clients start to walk through the door, they immediately show their appreciation and loyalty to not only our brand, but to the entire KZ team!
Q: What are you most excited to do once you’re back?
A: Dress up!!
Q: What’s one interesting fact about you or your business that you want your customers to know?
A: Kirna Zabête Palm Beach is thoughtfully curated to best suit evolving needs of our fabulous clientele.
KITON
CAPEHART
JON ROBERSON, STORE MANAGER
Q: What do you love most about your work and being part of the Royal family?
A: I feel so blessed and thankful to be able to come to work and be surrounded by not only the natural beauty of the Plaza and Courtyard but also by being so graciously welcomed and loved by all the other retailers and restaurants. It truly is awe-inspiring to be surrounded by so many creative, talented people who enjoy life and what they do. So proud to be a part of the Royal family!
Q: What’s one positive thing that came out of the shutdown?
A: Since my high school days (and that’s a long time ago! We won’t go into that now) I’ve never had this much time off before so it felt really good to reconnect with everyone in my phone contact list, family and friends and to do the things I love to do but hardly ever have enough time to do them. Walking, biking, reading three books all at the same time, trying different food and cocktail recipes kept me busy during the two months of being furloughed. I really missed seeing my clients and the Plaza greatly!
“The world doesn’t produce tailors. It’s the sartorial philosophy of “handmade” that does: Kiton’s future, therefore, lies in the strengths of the younger generations who, moving in another direction from the previous ones, open up new horizons.”
Q: What are you most excited to do once you’re back?
A: The first thing I did was a deep clean and rearrangement of our backroom and tailor shop, that felt great. Contacting our clients, re-merchandising the store and seeing everyone’s smiling faces got me the most excited.
Q: What’s one interesting fact about you or your business that you want your customers to know?
A: It has to be hands down Kiton’s Tailoring School! Kiton is teaching future generations in the art of tailoring. I’m so proud that our company does that! Here’s a excerpt from our website:
“The world doesn’t produce tailors. It’s the sartorial philosophy of “handmade” that does: Kiton’s future, therefore, lies in the strengths of the younger generations who, moving in another direction from the previous ones, open up new horizons.”
LOVESHACKFANCY
CAPEHART
TORI KELLER, STORE MANAGER
Q: What do you love most about your work and being part of the Royal family?
A: I love working so closely with my team, the customers and all of my neighbors in the plaza. I’m a people person so I enjoy meeting new faces every day and the warmth of the people I get to surround myself with every day!
Q: What’s one positive thing that came out of the shutdown?
A: Throughout the time of uncertainty I can definitely say my team and I discovered new ways to go above and beyond for our clients and introduce a new way to retail! Connecting virtually with our clients also helped us meet new people we probably wouldn’t have had the chance to meet prior on a more personal level!
“LSF coming to The Royal and becoming my new home was definitely something meant to be for me!”
Q: What are you most excited to do once you’re back?
A: I’m excited to be surrounded by my LoveShack and Royal family and to be interacting with all of our clients again.
Q: What’s one interesting fact about you or your business that you want your customers to know?
A: I grew up in Boca Raton but always had a few different personal connections to Palm Beach Island. Before working for LoveShackFancy they were without a doubt a brand I was quite obsessed with. LSF coming to The Royal and becoming my new home was definitely something meant to be for me!
MDBEAUTY LABS BY DR. DADURIAN
CAPEHART
DR. DANIELA DADURIAN, OWNER
Q: What do you love most about your work and being part of the Royal family?
A: What I love most about my work is the ability to help someone feel great on the inside and look beautiful on the outside. Being part of the Royal family is great because we are just that – “a family”. Should we need any assistance, someone a door or two down is always there to lend a hand.
Q: What’s one positive thing that came out of the shutdown?
A: The most positive thing that came from the shutdown was to see how my employees stood beside me and showed up ready to work as we reopened.
“Being part of the Royal family is great because we are just that – ‘a family’.”
Q: What are you most excited to do once you’re back?
A: We are already back to work and I couldn’t be happier!
Q: What’s one interesting fact about you or your business that you want your customers to know?
A: One interesting fact about me is that I love to travel for educational purposes.
ORLEBAR BROWN
CAPEHART
JACOB MALDONADO, STORE MANAGER + RACHEL PLAMP, O.B. CONCIERGE
Q: What do you love most about your work and being part of the Royal family?
A: We are passionate about what we do as O.B Concierges and provide a Vibrant, Tailored, and Brave approach to service our clients. Our purpose is to ‘Holiday Better’ and our promise is to always ‘Feel Summer’. Being a part of the Royal Family is incredible. The atmosphere, the events, and the overall experience.
Q: What’s one positive thing that came out of the shutdown?
A: We stayed connected with out Clients through Social Media and welcomed them back once we reopened. We also took time to spend with our families and friends. (FYI- We binged watched Tiger King on Netflix)
“Our purpose is to ‘Holiday Better’ and our promise is to always ‘Feel Summer’.”
Q: What are you most excited to do once you’re back?
A: We are just so glad to be back! Once back we reached out to clients to make sure they were all well. Excited for our James Bond 3.0 launch on June 10th!
Q: What’s one interesting fact about you or your business that you want your customers to know?
A: Outside of work Jacob loves to hike and is also vegetarian. Rachel loves the beach and being out on her boat. We always ‘Feel Summer’ here in Palm Beach!
PALM BEACH BICYCLE TRAIL SHOP
CAPEHART
MARK QUINN, OWNER
Q: What do you love most about your work and being part of the Royal family?
A: I meet the nicest people that want to come out and enjoy the beautiful island and ride our bikes on the Lake Trail.
Q: What’s one positive thing that came out of the shutdown?
A: One of the things that was good that happened was it was great to still be able to get out and ride a bike in the fresh air.
Q: What are you most excited to do once you’re back?
A: It will be good when the the Lake Trail opens so people can once again enjoy its beauty.
Q: What’s one interesting fact about you or your business that you want your customers to know?
A: Thank you to my customers for supporting me and the Bike Shop.
PAUL LABRECQUE SALON AND SPA
CAPEHART
PAUL LABRECQUE, CO-OWNER
Brian Cantor, Co-Owner, also pictured
Q: What do you love most about your work and being part of the Royal family?
A: I love making people happy. People have been very down these last few months. A little color, a bit of polish, a touch of wax and skincare, and a smile – we help people know life goes on.
Q: What’s one positive thing that came out of the shutdown?
A: Our online store at www.paullabrecque.com has been more than just a place to find your favorite cult beauty products – the PL team has made self-help videos to guide you during lockdown, and our experts have been giving Zoom virtual skin and hair consultations. We made people know that if we use initiative we can think of ways to smile again and that felt good. Our quarantine color kits made so many people feel good about themselves and kept that connection between us strong.
“A little color, a bit of polish, a touch of wax and skincare, and a smile – we help people know life goes on.”
Q: What are you most excited to do once you’re back?
A: I am a huggy feely boy, so not being able to hug is a huge let down. But saying thank god you’re all right and we will all be together to make you feel and look better is a huge plus. People’s excitement to be touched – yes through gloves and mask – but there is something to what we do. When New York lost the WTC, I was adamant. Tomorrow we open. It was for this alone people must know everything will continue. And then they have hope. And so that to me is the thrill of making people feel good. And that thrill thrills me.
Q: What’s one interesting fact about you or your business that you want your customers to know?
A: Our business is a love story of two gay men. We met from two different countries long before gay men or women could marry. We built our business to stay together – it is our child. And what we have grown is a loyal following who are part of a family we created. No pretense. No egos. Just a love for the work and the partnership of 34 years.
RENNY & REED
CAPEHART
REED MCILVAINE, OWNER
Design team also pictured (from left to right): Amanda Curtis, Reed McIlvaine, Robin Bergland, Jaime Boehner
Q: What do you love most about your work and being part of the Royal family?
A: For the past 20 years, I have been lucky to have a creative role as an event designer, often working in some of the most beautiful venues around the world. From jaw dropping private residences to extravagant ballrooms, the flower and event design business has always exposed me to such a unique perspective of beauty and design. As a happy member of the Royal family, I now get to do business in another stunning destination, surrounded by a wonderfully supporting community of exemplary brands – not a bad place to call work! Oh, and I have the absolute best team in the business!
Q: What’s one positive thing that came out of the shutdown?
A: For one thing, it was a reminder of how important it is to be home for family dinners as often as possible- something that can get away from you during the busy Palm Beach social season. The time has also given us the ability to look at what we are doing with a fresh perspective and fine tune parts of the business so that we’ll be even stronger when life gets back to normal! We’ve created new partnerships with support vendors, initiated new business strategies and have grown as a team, knowing more than ever the importance of the support we lend to each other.
“From Studio 54 to the White House, to every 5-star hotel in NYC, we’ve designed in just about every place you can imagine.”
Q: What are you most excited to do once you’re back?
A: We’re thrilled to be seeing such a positive response to our new Seasonal Subscription service, and we can’t wait to get started this week with our new private Floral Workshop series. Our clients will get to learn a new skill while surrounded by beautiful flowers, either in the Plaza or in their homes.
Q: What’s one interesting fact about you or your business that you want your customers to know?
A: We’re a family business, founded by my uncle in NYC in the early 1970s. From Studio 54 to the White House, to every 5-star hotel in NYC, we’ve designed in just about every place you can imagine. Our lush, tropical surroundings at the Royal, and colorful Palm Beach influences have now made for the most perfect place to call home.
ROLLER RABBIT
CAPEHART
DORIS DIXON, STORE MANAGER
Q: What do you love most about your work and being part of the Royal family?
A: I love that I work for a company that believes in selling happiness and not just a product. It is always so much fun to help customers find the best pieces in all the fun colors and prints that will make them happy. Since moving our store to The Royal it has been so amazing getting to know all the other people that work and shop here. It is a such a fun and beautiful place to work.
Q: What’s one positive thing that came out of the shutdown?
A: I have never been one to cook, I’m a takeout kind of girl or love to have someone else cook for me. But during the time off I realized I’m not such a bad cook after all. I also spent a lot of time running and sitting outside as much as possible.
“I love that I work for a company that believes in selling happiness and not just a product.”
Q: What are you most excited to do once you’re back?
A: I’m an extremely social person and really missed seeing people. So I’m most excited to just be in the store to be able to see my customers. It is so great to see so many familiar faces.
Q: What’s one interesting fact about you or your business that you want your customers to know?
A: I love that Roller Rabbit supports small artisans, from India to Peru, from Thailand to Bhutan, from Italy to Portugal, and even here in the United States, we work with those that are the best at what they do.
SANT AMBROEUS
CAPEHART
ADIL AVUNDUK, GENERAL MANAGER
Q: What do you love most about your work and being part of the Royal family?
A: I love interacting with people and seeing friends, my work is more like entertaining friends at home every day. I love being part of The Royal family because they are always very creative and innovative, especially in these very different times.
Q: What’s one positive thing that came out of the shutdown?
A: I feel that as a team, we were able to connect even more, everyday, I could see everyone’s smile beneath their mask, everyone was just happy to be working together. We noticed, once again, how loyal our customers are and how loving our relationships are with our patrons, even when they were jut coming to pick up their order.
“My work is more like entertaining friends at home every day.”
Q: What are you most excited to do once you’re back?
A: We never left! We were pretty busy with take out orders everyday, but it was amazing to see our guests excitement once we opened our doors back to dine in.
Q: What’s one interesting fact about you or your business that you want your customers to know?
A: Not everyone knows but we actually make all our pastries (cookies, cakes, desserts, etc.) and gelato in our kitchen on premise!
VIRGINIA PHILIP WINE, SPIRITS & ACADEMY
CAPEHART
VIRGINIA PHILIP, OWNER + MASTER SOMMELIER AND VERONICA LITTON CSW, CERTIFIED SOMMELIER COURT OF MASTER SOMMELIERS AND GENERAL MANAGER
Q: What do you love most about your work and being part of the Royal family?
A: There is a hub of activity and energy with our partners at the Royal. Each day we look forward to coming to work and enjoying the beautiful environment. As a fine wine and spirits store, we love sharing joint experiences with our neighbors.
Q: What’s one positive thing that came out of the shutdown?
A: We actually never had to shut down as we were considered essential. Thank you for that! What we did find is that staying open during this critical time allowed us to really showcase our products and services. We are extremely competitive with our pricing and many recognized this when they shopped with us. We gained quite a bit of new business and we were able to service our regulars extensively.
“Each day we look forward to coming to work.”
Q: What are you most excited to do once you’re back?
A: As we never actually closed, one area came to mind within the first 2-3 days of COVID. Our website shopping cart need a lot of work. We quickly improved the cart for ordering wine and spirits and had many of our clients ordering on line.
Q: What’s one interesting fact about you or your business that you want your customers to know?
A: We have been in operation since November of 2011. We were located in West Palm Beach when we first opened the store. Palm Beach has been a huge success for us, especially with the Spirits component which we did not offer in West Palm Beach.
Also fun fact that Virginia has a twin sister, Veronica Bauer, who also lives and works on the island and they are constantly confused for one or the other!
WOOF GANG BAKERY & GROOMING PALM BEACH
CAPEHART
TIFFANY SCHAEFER, CO-OWNER
Q: What do you love most about your work and being part of the Royal family?
A: Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming Palm Beach, located in the elegant Royal Poinciana Plaza, is “Your Neighborhood Pet Store” committed to providing quality retail & outstanding grooming services to the community. We believe that caring pet owners want to provide their pets with the happiest, healthiest quality of life possible and are committed to providing superior products that enhance the wellbeing of your pets. We were fortunate to be able to remain open in order to provide the essential provisions for our clientele and their pets.
“At Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming Palm Beach your furry friend is ‘Our family too’.”
