With the warm weather of summer, everyone wants to be outside. The summer snow has melted, the spring rains have died down and summer is the season to enjoy the nice days outdoors. By adding an awning to your space, you can meet your customers’ demands and bring a fresh new approach to your business.
For Storefronts
Whether a retractable or permanently extended structure, awning space in front or in back of your business can provide you with shaded and sheltered space for customers. If permitted, setting up tables and displays is a great way to get your products in front of the increased foot traffic that comes with the seasonal warmth. Passersby can easily stop by your shop and look over what you have, giving you a great opportunity to literally get in front of potential customers and provide them an added bonus of a bit of cooling shade or protection from a summertime shower. Plus, you can use the streetside space to help sell hard-to-move or overstocked merchandise that may be overlooked if left inside your store.
For Cafés and Restaurants
A covered seating space can do wonders to boost your restaurant or café’s bottom line. Curbside or riverside dining under the cool shade of a protected awning space is a great way to spend a summer evening. By adding awning space to your business, you not only provide this opportunity to prospective guests, but also create a space that’s protected from the elements for your exterior seating and tables. Exterior seating can also provide you a seasonal boost in revenues, allowing you to seat more patrons than you can during the colder months.
Save on Energy Costs
Awnings can also provide extra income by saving you from higher energy bills. An awning over windows and doorways insulates those areas of your business from the extra heat of the summer sun. By keeping the areas in front of your business shaded, you can reduce the temperatures inside your building, which means that your air conditioning system won’t have to work as hard to keep you cool. In fact, the Professional Awning Manufacturers Association notes that some studies have shown as much as a 55 to 65 reduction in heating in awning-protected areas that face south, and a 72 to 77 percent reduction for western-facing windows and doors.
Don’t Forget Branding
Lastly, an awning gives you a way to help make your business stand out. As we’ve covered previously, selecting a distinctive color scheme or using a branded awning can give you an advantage over other businesses in the area by giving potential visitors to your location a visual cue that draws them in. People will be drawn to shaded area – especially during the summer months – and reinforcing the protected space you have with your logo or telltale shades will leave a lasting impression during that visit and be a lasting reminder to draw them back for future visits.
We can work with you to design a great awning solution for your restaurant or business. Give us a call today at 610-505-5907 and schedule a free consultation to see what might work best for you!