Long before there were malls, people enjoyed going from store to store. Taking a nice stroll outside enjoying the weather, while peeking through shop windows. I guess this is how window shopping was born. Of course, the weather wasn't always perfect on those days, some days may have been too hot and some days it was raining, but that was okay because the stores usually had this big long piece of material, almost like an umbrella, that hung out away from the store. This material created a shelter for shoppers if it started to rain, plus on those very hot days, it also provided a shade. So, what was this contraption that made window shoppers lives easier? It's called an awning.

An awning is a covering that is attached to the outside wall of a building. An awning is usually made of canvas or acrylic cloth that has been stretched over steel, iron, aluminium and sometimes wood. Some businesses have seen the benefits of the awning. Restaurants have awnings made so big that they can put tables and chairs underneath them and they offer an outside dining experience to their customers. Because of the sheer size of the awnings, many businesses use them as a way to advertise.

Awnings didn't just get off the boat, they have a long and steep history. Even the ancient Egyptians and Syrians make note of using materials to shade their market stalls. In the Roman Empire, awnings were used to shade the seating areas in amphitheatres. Awnings made their way over to America in the 19th century. The early versions were simple and rather crude in nature. Back in those days, the awning was usually rolled up if it didn't rain and when winter came, the awning was taken down and stored. The latter part of the 19th century saw advancements in the awning. Operable awnings were created, this version gave the owner more flexibility when using the awning. Then came the roller awning, which was another step in making the awning easier to use.

The 20th century saw the continued advancement of awnings. This period gave us the folding arm awning and the lateral arm awning. Though the mechanics of the awning was changing, the covering was not keeping up. Canvas duck was still the most common awning fabric in the early 20th century. By the 1960s other materials like, acrylic, polyester and vinyl were being touted as the future of awning covers. Ironically, during this time the air conditioner was becoming popular and people wondered if the awning would become obsolete.

The awning has proven to be tough, in more ways than one, because it is still around today. The awnings of today appear to be more marketing tool than street shade. Besides the strip malls, awnings are appearing in historic business districts and residential areas. Awnings, like most devices that survive time, always seem to go through cycles. To survive, things have to change and adapt and the awning has been able to do this. Because if you can survive long enough, eventually the public will remember why you were great.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Awnings