AEI Corporation

Outdoor Commercial Patio Heaters Elevate the Outdoor Shopping Center Experience

Posted: February 16, 2024 at 05:52 PM

8 minute read | Heaters

Strip malls and traditional shopping centers are tasked with competing with an open-air retail trend that consumers have come to value. Also known as outdoor shopping centers, rows of storefronts typically enjoy wide, manicured sidewalks where people can relax on comfortable benches or dine at bistro tables and chairs.

In many ways, this luxurious shopping experience has been a way for brick-and-mortar retailers to stem the tide of e-commerce giants. But the one hindrance that open-air, strip malls and even traditional facilities with outdoor areas face is how to deal with cool temperatures. Rather than acquiesce to the rise of online purchasing platforms, decision-makers are integrating commercial patio heaters. The use of outdoor heaters allows retail outlets of all kinds to provide fresh-air seating and smoking areas to support real-life shopping trips. Not only do state-of-the-art patio heaters help retain on-site consumers, but they have also helped revolutionize the modern shopping experience.

Benefits of Commercial Patio Heaters for Open-Air Mall Spaces

Open-air shopping centers are quickly dominating the retail experience, and that translates to increased revenues. According to the National Association of Realtors, a 50-percent increase in open-air shopping occurred over two years. Although little hard data has come forward regarding the profitability associated with this trend, restaurants typically improve revenue by upwards of 30 percent by adding outdoor seating. These are benefits retailers normally gain by increasing their outdoor footprint.

• Lower Costs: Large indoor shopping malls spend a significant amount of money on maintaining their climate-controlled environments. Not only do stores need HVAC units to keep the temperature comfortable, but walkways and food courts also require massive energy investments. Open-air spaces only need comfort support when the temperatures dip late in the evening or during cold weather months.
• Improved Retail Visibility: One of the primary challenges of small retail outlets in mega-malls involves customer visibility. Open-air shopping centers minimize this issue because people walk along the lovely sidewalks, taking time to relax under umbrellas and public seating. This benefit works seamlessly when the weather is comfortable. But even these types of shopping centers can struggle when it gets cold.
• Steady Flow of Traffic: Not only do open-air retail patios attract people who need clothing, gifts, and household goods, but they also act like a magnet for community members to get together over coffee and lunch. It’s an unequaled shopping experience as long as the people feel cozy while relaxing outside.

At the end of the day, retail outlets and real estate investors who lease space understand business success hinges on attracting and retaining people with leisure cash. During warm summer days, awnings and patio furniture with umbrellas to create shade are usually adequate. But late-night chills and cool weather months require a more determined solution. The best, and perhaps only way, to deliver a comfortable consumer experience is to integrate infrared patio heaters.

How to Position Outdoor Patio Heaters for Shopping Comfort

There are a number of ways property management firms can orchestrate an effective outdoor patio heating system that delivers the comfort that shoppers desire. Like al fresco dining, mushroom head propane patio heaters can be strategically deployed near seating and gathering areas. These iconic commercial patio heaters can be powered by liquid propane or natural gas. When used as propane patio heaters, they usually house a refillable tank in the base. As a natural gas propane heater, they are secured to an existing fuel source and fixed in place. In either scenario, they disburse a circle of radiant heat that warms the objects and people within their throw radius.

Another way to address the problem of warming comfort involves establishing overhead commercial patio heaters. Top-tier natural gas, liquid propane, and electric patio heaters can be installed under the building’s eaves, roof infrastructure in semi-enclosed areas that protect against rain, or on posts along the shopping walkway. Like infrared mushroom head products, the radiant heat that warms objects and people cannot be whisked away by a cool breeze. Along with leveraging advanced technology and industry-leading quality, these facets make AEI Corp commercial patio heaters an ideal solution for attracting and retaining customers.

Commercial Patio Heaters for Outdoor Shopping Center Experiences

Whether you’re in charge of customer satisfaction at a newly minted open-air shopping center or the outdoor seating and dining area at a traditional mall, finding ways to encourage repeat business is critical. Should shoppers feel chilly even during a summer evening, they will be more inclined to visit competitors on a regular basis. Delivering the best possible consumer experience for community members and visitors is no longer just a matter of convenience. Retail outlets face competition in terms of the brands they house as well as the way visiting stores makes people feel. These rank among the popular AEI Corp commercial patio heaters that help property managers and real estate investors maximize outdoor spaces.

Infratech Electric Patio Heaters

These fully electric patio heaters rank among the most practical and cost-effective ways to integrate overhead products. They require sturdy infrastructure, such as roofs, eaves, beams, or even posts. AEI Corp has a variety of sizes and power contingencies for real estate management firms and mall decision-makers to consider. Infratech electric patio heaters call for professionals to establish designated, hard-wired power lines.

The units can be operated by conveniently positioned wall panels. Operating panels can involve simple on-off switches or complex systems that operate each unit separately and include shutoff timers. Infratech commercial-grade outdoor heaters are widely used in the industrial, hospitality, and retail sectors.

Patio Comfort Natural Gas and Propane Heaters

For more than 45 years, AEI has been manufacturing this spin-off of the popular portable propane mushroom heater. They have proven beneficial in landscapes such as condominium complexes, resorts, ski lodges, and sidewalk cafés, among others. Because they are powered by natural gas or propane, Patio Comfort heaters utilize a sturdy pole that is fixed in place and protects the fuel line. AEI Corp has made this once bland commercial product a décor asset. Mall and shopping center operators can select finishes that include jet-silver, bronze, stainless steel, and vintage.

Sunglo Natural Gas and Propane Patio Heaters

An industry mainstay, AEI has been producing these industry-leading mushroom heaters for more than half a century. Once only available as a portable propane patio heater, AEI has engineered models that also seamlessly work with natural gas. With a variety of finishes, shopping outlet decision-makers can select models that accentuate the environment. One nuance that has raised more than a few eyebrows is the Sunglo hanging patio heater. Designed to look like a chandelier, it raised the bar in terms of customer satisfaction and ambiance.

Sunpak Propane and Natural Gas Patio Heaters

What distinguishes Sunpak infrared heaters is the variety of strengths and mounting options these products enjoy. Mall and shopping center operators can select them in varying lengths for the purpose of attaching them to overhangs, eaves, beams, or strategically erected posts to keep shoppers pleasantly warm. They can be installed with black finishes to blend into existing infrastructure or with a stainless steel face, consistent with industrial décor. These two-stage heaters allow operators to use variable heat controls. After more than 50 years of producing Sunpak outdoor heaters for commercial use, AEI has perfected mounting options to project the radiant rays precisely where they are needed.

SunStar Horizontal Commercial Patio Heaters

Another line of reliable horizontal box heaters, the SunPak model enjoys tinted ceramic glass face plates that help conceal the heating elements. This makes them even more discrete than some of the black finishes commercial property owners choose to tuck away in ceilings and under eaves. Available in black or stainless steel, they are a sleek patio heater that utilizes wireless remote control capabilities to manage radiant heat throws as needed.

AEI Corp continues demonstrating product and thought leadership in the residential and commercial patio heater niche. With more than 50 years of experience meeting the needs of business owners and operators, the organization has emerged as the go-to resource in North America.

Choosing the Right Outdoor Heaters for Shopping Centers

AEI Corp offers five select lines of infrared heaters — Patio Comfort, Sunglo, Sunpak, SunStar, and Infratech. All of these reliable patio heaters deliver exceptional warmth and the benefits of remaining outdoors after dark and deep into the cold weather season. If your shopping center would benefit from additional customers or consumer retention, contact AEI Corp for more information.