Winter Vestibule Guide

Winter vestibules serve a wide variety of purposes for businesses and buildings that experience a lot of foot traffic. However, many business and building owners are not fully aware of the uses of winter vestibules and how they can enhance the value of their respective endeavors. In today’s guide, we are going to provide a complete breakdown of winter vestibules and their uses in various of settings. Additionally, if you are interested in buying a high-quality vestibule, we can help you find or design one from scratch at a reasonable price!

However, it’s probably a good idea to answer some basic questions that many businesses and consumers have about winter vestibules before starting the buying process. Even the term winter vestibule may be unfamiliar to some people, especially those who live in more temperate climates that do not experience harsh winters. So, first and foremost, what is a winter vestibule and what purpose does it serve?

What Is A Winter Vestibule?

A vestibule is simply a permanent or temporary structure that is placed at the entrance of a building. It acts as an enclosure through which people can pass and, if necessary, wait to enter or exit. Since a vestibule is a type of outdoor enclosure, it ensures that people can escape inclement weather and stay dry and warm, even before they have entered the building!

Naturally, a winter vestibule is specifically designed to help guard customers or building residents from cold weather. For this reason, most winter vestibules are temporary, insofar as they can be installed in advance of seasonal changes. Later, they can be deconstructed and put into storage for the remainder of the year.

Since most vestibules are set at the front entrance of buildings, they usually extend into the sidewalk. This is why it is important for business and building owners to get the correct size of vestibule, otherwise, it could slow down the flow of foot traffic. That said, a larger winter vestibule ensures that even more people can stay warm and dry at once, making it an even greater value for your establishment.

Winter Vestibule Uses

As previously mentioned, winter vestibules are primarily used to protect passersby and customers from low temperatures and bad weather during the winter months. However, you may not be sure if a winter vestibule will meet your needs. Fortunately, we have collected a list of some of the most common and popular uses for winter vestibules. While this is not a comprehensive list of every possible use, it should give you a better understanding of their versatility in a wide range of conditions and industries.

Restaurants

Restaurants are some of the businesses that get the most use out of vestibules in general. Whether you only need a winter vestibule during cold weather or you want to keep up a permanent vestibule year-round, the enclosure can ensure that you offer your patrons a comfortable place to escape the elements. Rather than having customers wait outside in the cold or clutter the entrance of your restaurant, you can use a winter vestibule to allow multiple people to wait in a comfortable space until their table is ready. As an added bonus, restaurant vestibules can be designed to display QR codes that allow interested pedestrians to access your website, view the menu, or even make a reservation for later.

Storefronts

Winter vestibules also make a great addition to small shops and storefronts, as they give customers a way to stay dry and warm before they come in and when they prepare to leave your business. This helps improve your customer experience and, over the long term, build a larger pool of repeat clients. Additionally, if you want to increase your branding and marketing efforts, you can use a winter vestibule to include your business name, logo, social media accounts, telephone number, and any other relevant information or images that can help inform passersby.

Commercial Buildings

While smaller storefronts often need the extra space of a vestibule, larger commercial buildings can also benefit from the space, warmth, and protection offered by a winter vestibule. This is especially true during special events. For example, if a large retailer is having a grand opening or Black Friday sale, they can utilize a winter vestibule to ensure that people waiting outside will not be cold or exposed to rain or snow.

Residential Apartment Buildings

It’s important to note that winter vestibules are not just limited to standard businesses. They can be used for virtually any building that experiences regular foot traffic, including residential apartment buildings. In fact, landlords that utilize winter vestibules ensure that their tenants and any guests can wait comfortably before entering or exiting the building.

Hotels

Hotels often have a lot of people waiting in or near the entrance. Whether they are waiting for taxis or moving luggage around, it can really be a huge inconvenience if the weather is cold. While a portico can allow people to get in and out of their vehicles without needing to worry about precipitation, a vestibule also adds the ability to let people get warm while they wait to check-in or out.

What You Need To Know When Buying A Winter Vestibule

Shopping for a winter vestibule is not overly complicated, but it’s best to know the basics in advance. More specifically, there are a few things that you need to consider when buying a winter vestibule: design, size, installation, and storage. Thankfully, if you choose to get a winter vestibule through Sign It, we can help you through the entire process, including designing, installing, uninstalling, and storing your vestibule.

Design

Most businesses use vestibules for both practical and marketing purposes. As a result, the design, including the material as well as the words and images on the vestibule will likely differ based on your personal tastes and needs. For example, you might want to buy a canvas vestibule if you want to easily dismantle and store it on a regular basis. Additionally, you may wish to add personalized designs or slogans to help entice customers to buy your products or services.

Size

Size is one of the most important factors to consider when buying a vestibule. You want to ensure that enough people can fit inside comfortably without taking away too much sidewalk space. For this reason, it is best to measure the space in front of your business or building before buying your vestibule.

Installation

The ease of installation will depend on the material, size, and structural design of your vestibule. Larger vestibules made of glass or plastic will take a bit more time to install and uninstall. Fortunately, Sign It can take care of all of your installation needs, regardless of the size or material!

Storage

Finally, a winter vestibule is specifically designed for cold weather. This means that it is usually uninstalled and put into storage during some or all of the spring, summer, and autumn months. If you have the space, you can always choose to manage storage on your own. However, Sign It offers seasonal storage as a standard part of its vestibule services.

If you’d like to learn more about where to buy the best winter vestibules in NYC, be sure to check out the custom vestibules at Sign It today!