Why shopfront is much important to grow business?

Shopping has become important economic activity for everyone weather it is related to people shopping or shopping for their shops. The appearance of shopping areas and of individual glass shopfronts is often an indication of the vitality and quality of a place. Well designed and historically interesting shopfronts make a street a more attractive place in which to shop.

The traditional elements of the shopfront evolved from the market stall set into the ground floor of buildings. Many shops evolved from houses, the retail use located on the ground floor with living accommodation above. Medieval ‘shopfronts’ had two or more unglazed openings, often with arched heads and shutters. Evidence suggests the possibility of a low shelf, or stall, pegged to the structure. A reconstruction of a medieval shopfront has been installed at Number 44, Burgate, Canterbury Shopfronts developed slowly though the 16th and 17th centuries.

The unglazed shopfront remained an integral part of the structural frame of the building and the cill became a fully developed counter. The late 17th century saw a complete timber framed shopfront fitted into a building. Pilasters were introduced to help support the upper storeys. The first glazed shopfronts appear in the 18th century and are likely to have been made of small squarish panes (due to the cost and availability of glass). Many shopfronts were installed into existing buildings and thus required a design solution independent of the facade above. To achieve this shopfront were treated as examples of quality joinery attached to the building like a freestanding book case. Bow windows were a popular form and classical elements, such as pilasters, fascias and cornices were incorporated.

For village shops the small bay window with a lean-to roof was common with the basic form of the shopfront established refinements tended to follow architectural fashion. Bow windows became shallower, glazing bars thinner and pilasters were elaborate; while stall risers tended to become solid rather than open grilles. Fascias also became more important superseding the large projecting signs which characterized the medieval period.

Good quality Aluminum shopfronts of all periods make a positive contribution to the character and appearance of our towns and villages. Early shopfronts, pre-1800, are rare and all examples should be highly valued and retained. Many Victorian and Edwardian shopfronts are equally worthy of conservation and should be repaired or restored. Shopfronts often form part of a listed building and are subject to listed building consent procedures. When a shop is being converted to an alternative use (for example, office or residential) good quality shopfronts should be retained.