The plight of a successful new business continues in Royal Palm Beach with the owners of Los Agaves Restaurant insisting that rather than the Royal Palm Beach Village Council seeing their windows as an “obnoxious display” of national origin, it really does not differ from the current Indian, Italian and Chinese restaurants substantially, and in as much as their window display, which is one way and where patrons have additional privacy, such patrons have grown to expect the additional ambience, which, to many, adds character.
I wonder whether it’s not better to grant a variance to what has become a very successful restaurant than to cater to our recent, but noteworthy, turnover created by either poorly run or too esoteric restaurants with ho-hum menus?
Patrons who frequent restaurants that express their ethnicity have come to expect their uniqueness.
The question for patrons is whether the village representatives represent them or are just looking at the next election and responding to pressures of unsuccessful businesses, who seek to limit or eliminate competition. Hopefully, such may not be the case, but it does make one wonder why the council has denied a variance, as the one given appears ludicrous.
Attracting quality and successful businesses will probably not continue, which may be the point, if businesses like Los Agaves and the Zoo Health Club have to face this kind of bureaucracy, in my opinion.
Richard Nielsen, Royal Palm Beach
