fwiw, the panels on the front are original, art deco era enamel coated steel. Kind of like the finish on a car.. when they, too, were made of steel.

Maybe if the awnings were more colorful and striped, the friendly quotient would increase. Strings of twinkling lights in the trees and year-round patio furnishings like wrought iron tables and chairs with a container of red berries and greenery in the chilly months would be inviting. Even in winter, with the west sun, you might attract outsider customers. Could you afford a few patio heaters to warm it up out there year-round?

The heaters are probably a no go at this time. But I do like the idea of the berries and greenery on tables. Our outdoor tables are not wrought iron.. but iron and glass. And our chairs are white or red. Thanks for the idea!

It would be nice if you could add lots of twinkling white lights, maybe place some trellis pieces over the windows, frame them out then cover with white lights. Great at any time of year. Grow some ivy over them in the warmer months. Place some large pots with evergreen topiaries on each side of the entrance; add blooming plants in warmer weather around the topiaries. I do agree you need a nicer striped awning to carry off this look. But the trellis pieces (you can buy at home depot or lowes) are inexpensive and come in large panels. You can get white or I think green vinyl ones that don't need painting ever. Or just get cedar and cover them with the ivy and lights. Please let me know how it goes for you, I want your business to be a successful one!!

I love the look of this building and would play up its age by installing those old fashioned crank out awning all the stores used to have. A black, white, and red fabric would look nice. I also like the twinkling lights look, and how about adding a bit of a lip around the edge of the tree gardens and plant some flowers in there this summer?

Keep your art decor vibe in the forefront of whatever you do.

What a great building! What kind of food do you serve? Maybe that could inform your choices a bit. I'm a nut for little sparkling lights (not flashing though) and do like the idea of awnings. Good luck with your business...where is it located?

I don`t know what your budget is, and I also know that the new glass treatment is quite an investment, but one option is to use roll down solar screen shades. You could keep them pulled down to the first horizontal mullion which will hide the underside of your awnings from inside and also bring the eyes of the diners down. Then you can pull them all the way down when needed and put them back up after dark so people can see the activity inside. They would probably be pulled down more in the winter than in the summer. I know that wasn't what you were specifically asking and the idea of removing your new window treatment is probably unpleasant, but it is an option.

we used to have the roll down shades. worked for the sun, but not for the A/C. We have a pizza oven in an expedition kitchen in front. Long story short, our engineer didn't account for either option when designing our hvac. :/
mdnotdr- we are right outside of DC in Alexandria, VA. our website is www.firefliesdelray.com

Great Suggestions. You could look into extending a patio cover/roof and using a vegetative system. Since you are limited to what vegetation you can incorporate because of the sidewalk and location - this maybe a great way to enhance the welcoming appearance and ad shade to your patio section. You can customize the vegetation design and colors to match your style and color scheme.