 This cast iron storefront from the late 19th century has been well maintained over the years. Photo: NPS files. |
Commercial establishments of the 18th and early 19th centuries
were frequently located on the ground floor of buildings and,
with their residentially scaled windows and doors, were often
indistinguishable from surrounding houses. In some cases, however,
large bay or oriel windows comprised of small panes of glass set
the shops apart from their neighbors. Awnings of wood and canvas
and signs over the sidewalk were other design features seen on
some early commercial buildings. The ground floors of large commercial
establishments, especially in the first decades of the 19th century,
were distinguished by regularly spaced, heavy piers of stone or
brick, infilled with paneled doors or small paned window sash.
Entrances were an integral component of the facade, typically
not given any particular prominence although sometimes wider than
other openings.
The ready availability of architectural cast iron after the 1840s
helped transform storefront design as architects and builders
began to experiment using iron columns and lintels at the ground
floor level. Simultaneous advances in the glass industry permitted
manufacturing of large panes of glass at a reasonable cost. The
combination of these two technical achievements led to the storefront
as we know it today--large expanses of glass framed by thin structural
elements. The advertisement of the merchant and his products in
the building facade and display windows quickly became critical
factors in the competitive commercial atmosphere of downtowns.
In the grouping of these wide-windowed facades along major commercial
streets, the image of America's cities and towns radically changed.
The first cast iron fronts were simple post-and-lintel construction
with little decoration. As iron craftsmen became more adept and
as more ornate architectural styles became popular, cast iron
fronts were given Italianate, Venetian Gothic, and French Second
Empire details. Cast iron storefronts could be selected directly
from catalogs, which began to appear in the early 1850s. Standardized
sills, columns, and lintels could be arranged to create fronts
of all sizes, styles and configurations. In the 1870s sheet metal
storefronts became popular; they were also sold in standardized
sizes and configurations through manufacturers' catalogs.
The typical 19th century storefront consisted of single or double
doors flanked by display windows. The entrance
was frequently recessed, not only to protect the customer from
inclement weather but to increase the amount of space in which
to display merchandise. In some cases an additional side door
provided access to the upper floors. Thin structural members of
cast iron or wood, rather than masonry piers, usually framed the
storefront. The windows themselves were raised off the ground
by wood, cast iron or pressed metal panels or bulkheads; frequently,
a transom or series of transoms (consisting of single or multiple
panes of glass) were placed above each window and door. The signboard
above the storefront (the fascia covering the structural beam)
became a prominent part of the building. Canvas awnings, or in
some cases tin or wooden canopies, often shaded storefronts of
the late 19th century. Iron fronts were frequently put onto existing
buildings as a way of giving them an up-to-date appearance. Except
for expanding the display window area to the maximum extent possible
and the increasing use of canvas awnings, few major technical
innovations in storefront design can be detected from the 1850s
through 1900.
The first decades of the 20th century saw the growing use of decorative
transom lights (often using small prismatic glass panes) above
display windows; in some cases, these transoms could be opened
to permit air circulation into the store. Electric incandescent
lights enabled storeowners to call attention to their entrance
and display windows and permitted nighttime shopping. In the 1920's
and 1930s a variety of new materials were introduced into the
storefront, including aluminum and stainless steel framing elements,
pigmented structural glass (in a wide variety of colors), tinted
and mirrored glass, glass block and neon.
 This 1930s Moderne storefront has gained significance over time and should be preserved. Photo: NPS files. |
A bewildering number
of proprietary products also appeared during this period, many
of which went into storefronts including Aklo, Vitrolux, Vitrolite,
and Extrudalite. Highly colored and heavily patterned marble was
a popular material for the more expensive storefronts of this
period. Many experiments were made with recessed entries, floating
display islands, and curved glass. The utilization of neon lighting
further transformed store signs into elaborate flashing and blinking
creations. During this period design elements were simplified
and streamlined; transom and signboard were often combined. Signs
utilized typefaces for the period, including such stylized lettering
as "Broadway," "Fino" and "Monogram."
Larger buildings of this period, such as department stores, sometimes
had fixed metal canopies, with lighting and signs as an integral
component of the fascia.
Because commercial architecture responds to a variety of factors--environmental,
cultural, and economic--distinct regional variations in storefronts
can be noted. Fixed metal canopies supported by guy wires, for
example, were common in late 19th and early 20th century storefronts
in southern states where it was advantageous to have shaded entrances
all year long. Such a detail was less common in the northeast
where moveable canvas awnings predominated. These awnings could
be lowered in summer to keep buildings cooler and raised in winter
when sunlight helps to heat the building.
"Rehabilitating Historic Storefronts" an Historic Preservation Brief
