The Waianae Christmas Parade brought more than just smiles and cheer to west side today. It brought something that business seem to have all too little of lately, foot traffic. With the parade drawing hundreds upon hundreds of people to the main stretch of the community, it was obvious that the local businesses were reaping the benefits. There is nothing better than seeing a community pulling together for a fun event as well as commerce. Spectators were sitting in the heat for more than an hour, which meant they had to get thirsty, right? The local convenience stores alone definitely saw an increase in sales, not to mention the local and chain restaurants that are scattered directly on the main stretch. Some of the lines appeared to be overflowing. Even before the parade, I , myself, noticed an increase in business at the local Coffee Shop. It was fantastic to see. It wasn’t only the storefronts that were getting traffic. Some very well prepared local vendors had prepared tables with goods for sale to the public and they appeared to do just fine. In one instance I saw a cupcake stand. And I am sure that with all of the children present, there were many “mom can I have one”‘s that upped the sales for the day. Fantastic show of community, and a fantastic day for business. It just goes to show you that when a community comes together, many things are impacted positively.