Essay On Storefronts

When you are walking down Main Street, what are you looking at? Storefronts are the main attraction to every one’s eyes as they stroll down the street. They have the power to draw you in or push you away. You can tell a lot about what the store is by what their name is, things in the windows, signs, etc. This is what makes all storefronts unique and different from all other buildings, they tell you exactly what is inside without you having to walk in and discover it for yourself.

The storefront is the most important architectural feature of all commercial buildings. It plays a very large role in the store’s advertising and merchandise that draws customers and increase business. The storefront is the most commonly altered feature of a building for this reason. These changes can completely change the building’s architectural features that make up its historical features.

The history of storefronts go all the way back into the 1700’s. The Wild West days back in the 1800’s when cowboys and outlaws roamed the free new land are we will start. Saloons, general stores, black- smiths, gunsmiths, etc. all had storefronts telling the cowboys and travelers what their store was. They all had windows you could peek into and see what each had to offer. If you were traveling and came into town, you would want to know where the general store and saloon where so you could get supplies and take the edge off and relax. Without these storefronts you would wander the streets clueless or would just continue traveling thinking that town had nothing to offer.

Commercial establishments have been on ground level since the 18th and 19th centuries. They had residentially scaled doors and windows that were unrecognizable from surrounding houses. In rare cases,...

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...lder store but can also detract from the visibility of the windows. Neon signs can be quiet effective since they are bright and grab your attention from a ways away. Neon comes in a variety of colors that can be used with your color scheme. Some people say that a neon open sign can be on of the most important features in a store’s window. You also want to check sign ordinances to see if you are allowed to place a sandwich board on the sidewalk between the curb and the store.

Storefronts vary from region to region with Jackson Hole, WY being full of tourist merchandise and high prices. Gatlinburg, TN is also a tourist town with tons of attractions and high priced souvenir stores full of junk. Cody, WY had tons of rust old western looking stores and merchandise. Storefronts in larger cities were more modern and industrial looking with nicer clothing and jewelry shops.