Mother-Daughter Duo Open Grace Boutique With Beachy Clothing And Accessories

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Call it a case of good timing. Grace Merck was living in New York City teaching preschool—not completely in love with the big-city lifestyle and with no job security the next year. So she decided to move back to Palm Beach. 

She and her mom, Adele “Dede” Merck, always talked about opening up a business together. “Never really a boutique,” Grace says sitting next to her mom on a white couch that’s inside their beach-inspired shop, which opened in 2016 at Royal Poinciana Way. The two had envisioned opening up a coffee house together, but with Dede’s experience as a boutique owner in her early 20s, a different idea came together. 

“I said to Grace, ‘OK, I think if you’re going to come home I think I have an idea.’  I came right there, parked right there to do an errand,” Dede says pointing to a parking spot outside the storefront. She saw the retail space was available and immediately went to the landlord to inquire, calling Grace soon after. 

“I see this vision,” she remembers telling her daughter. “And really, I’m a praying woman, so God had already put everything together, giving me this instant vision of what it should look like, what it should be.” 

Together, they agreed to move forward with opening their new venture, and before even signing a lease, they went on a buying trip. Chic renovations to transform the shop into the crisp, trendy space it is today followed.

The store is named after Grace and that “by the grace of God” they were able to turn their vision into something tangible for their friends, family and locals.

Time to Shop

Grace Boutique is the place to shop for something new without breaking the bank. “If you’re looking to have a trip or a travel, you can buy everything here from handbags, to shoes, to sandals, to duffle bags, to backpacks, to sweats, to pajamas, cocktail dress,” Dede says. “It’s island clothing, but it can go other places. We cater to different seasons.”  

Shop designers not easily found on the island that suit all ages, from grandmothers to granddaughters. Grace Boutique carries many emerging designers from England, Australia and Italy. Some highlights include hand-embroidered cover ups from Juliet Dunn; Xirena cotton shirts, which locals can’t wait to get their hands on; McGuire denim; and Solid & Striped swimwear. 

The store even collaborated with Strong Boalt to create exclusive women’s cashmere sweaters. Plus, find Del Toro specialty shoes and Mercado Global accessories handmade by women in Guatemala.

In addition to an impressive inventory, the boutique also promises great conversation. “People are comfortable here,” Grace says. “A lot of people that we have come in stay a while and talk. Have a water, have a coffee.” 

It’s a place that Dede calls “a party.” “We kind of have a little party with every person. They end up drinking, eating, talking. You can always have an experience here,” she says.

Grace Boutique, 249 Royal Poinciana Way, Palm Beach / 561.469.7674 / graceboutiquepb.com

Dede and Grace Merck

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