Editor’s Note: Our polling software doesn’t tabulate write-in votes, due to misspellings, etc. Those were tabulated by hand, so any write-in votes will unfortunately not show up as accurately displayed in our final numbers here. This story reflects the correct numbers including hand-tabulated write-ins.

When it comes down to it, voters in our Taking Your Pulse poll for favorite local pet store seem to prefer the small-store touch to the big chain stores.

Not only did Woof Gang Bakery — which while it is a chain based in Orlando, has storefronts and tends to have a more single-owner feel — win our poll with more than 45 percent of the vote, there were several others which either beat bigger, more well-known stores or made plenty of write-in noise.

The store that finished second — Wild Cargo Pets in West Palm Beach — did both. Though not included in our original poll — we only have a limited amount of space for the number of stores we can originally post — the store had an incredible groundswell of support and ended up in second place with 12 percent of the vote, mostly due to write-ins.

PetSmart finished third with 7.5 percent, followed by another local store, Paws on the Avenue in Lake Worth, at 6.5 percent. Pet Supermarket rounded out the top five at 4 percent.

Another local store, B’Paws We Care in West Palm Beach, had a very strong write-in campaign as well, and on write-ins alone, reached the top 10 in seventh place, right behind Petco.

Other strong write-in finishers included Whole Pet Essentials in Palm Beach Gardens, Mark’s Ark in Lake Worth and Animal House of Distinction in Jupiter.

The full count of automatically tabulated votes — not write-ins (see above) — is here.

Macy's shoppers are seen through strands of Christmas lights in the Mall at Wellington Green.(Lannis Waters/The Palm Beach Post)

Wellington Green, with 35.6 percent of the vote, narrowly beat out The Gardens Mall, which had 30.6 percent.

Downtown at the Gardens was third with 12.7 percent. Read the full story

The Gardens Mall’s Santa is your favorite, according to our latest Taking Your Pulse poll. And it’s a runaway.

Gardens Mall took 57.5 percent, outdistancing the Mall at Wellington Green, which had 23 percent.

Boynton Beach Mall took third place, with 6 percent.

Click here for the full results.

Which mall does holiday shopping right? (Lannis Waters / Palm Beach Post)

Holiday shopping is never easy. Even under normal circumstances, you’re dealing with crowds, worrying about whether that sweater is the right size or color, what the latest video game craze is.

And if it’s Black Friday, all bets are off.

But which local mall does the holiday right? Where can you go and not feel the high level of stress that you normally would?

We’d like to know — vote in our Taking Your Pulse poll.

Don’t see your favorite? Click on “other” and fill in a write-in vote. We’ll add it to our poll if we get enough of them.

We’ll have the results on Monday.
Read the full story

The long line. The kids who aren’t thrilled with getting their picture taken and cry. The trick of balancing shopping bags while making sure the little one doesn’t wriggle free of your grip to scamper over to the candy store.

Whose Santa makes this experience worth the while? Which big guy in the red suit has that requisite twinkle in his eye, a la Clement Moore’s iconic version in The Night Before Christmas?

Vote for your favorite — don’t see yours? Click “Other” and add a write-in vote.
Read the full story

Circa Vintage Store in Tequesta won our poll by a wide margin. (Photo courtesy Circa Vintage)

No question about it, the folks who frequent Circa Vintage Shoppe clearly like their store — enough to make it the over-the-top winner in our Taking Your Pulse poll.

Circa in Tequesta was the runaway winner for favorite vintage store with 77.3 percent of the vote.

Goodwill and West Palm Beach’s Red Balloon finished well behind in a tie for second at 4.6 percent.

Click here for the full results.

Sometimes, it's easier to find something in a vintage store than a regular retail outlet. (Memphis CVB/flickr)

Sometimes it’s to save money. Sometimes it’s to find something that no regular store would carry. Whatever the reason, vintage stores are quite popular around here.

We want to know your favorite local vintage store. Take our poll and let us know where you pick up your slightly used stuff.

Don’t see your favorite below? Click on “other” and give us a write-in vote. If we get enough for a certain place, that store joins the poll with its write-in votes already on board.

We’ll have the results for you Monday.
Read the full story

Past Present Future Comics is the voters’ choice for favorite local comic-book store in our latest Taking Your Pulse poll.

PPF, located in suburban West Palm Beach, beat out Book Exchange of Lake Park with 50 percent of the vote. Book Exchange had 33 percent.

Tate’s Comics in Lauderhill was given write-in notice.

Click here for the full results.

Where's the place you pick up your new copy of 'Amazing Spider-Man'? (Stan Honda / AFP / Getty Images)

With some of the big ideas in film and television coming from the world of comic books, this form of entertainment has seen its profile rise dramatically.

Manga, graphic novels, manhwa, or just the good ol’ book — the mix of pictures into words to add to a story is quite popular.

Where do you go in Palm Beach County to get your comic fix? Let us know in the poll below.

If you don’t see your favorite spot, click “other” and add a write-in vote. Unlike other polls, if you have a favorite spot outside the county, we definitely want to know, so please write in your favorite no matter what.

We’ll give you the results on Monday.

Wal-Mart barely edged out two other big retailers to take the top spot in Taking Your Pulse’s poll for favorite local place to get school supplies.

Wal-Mart finished with 28.9 percent of the vote, beating out Staples at 24.4 percent and Target at 22.2 percent.

Rounding out the top five were Office Depot at 8.9 percent and Dollar Tree at 4.4 percent.

Click here for the full results.