Storefront Glass Security Glazing

Why Do You Need to Reinforce Commercial Storefront Glass?

According to the National Retail Federation, organized retail crime costs retailers in the US more than $700,000 per $1 billion in sales in 2020.

Criminals target retail storefronts in a variety of ways, including burglary, smash-and-grab theft, and organized looting.

These thieves will seize any opportunity when they see a weakness in a retail store’s security, which is why it’s so important not to overlook your business’s storefront glass. 

You can install all the cameras and alarms you want, but if your storefront windows aren’t protected, your property is still vulnerable.

Burglars can make short work of traditional window glass using tools like bats, crowbars, and hammers. Or, criminals taking advantage of civil unrest to hide their illicit activities can easily throw a rock or a brick through your storefront glass.

In addition to man-made threats, mother nature often creates problems for retail stores with large glass storefronts. 

Hurricanes and strong windstorms can hurl debris into your windows at high speeds, shattering them and potentially injuring people inside. 

Once there’s a hole in your storefront, your business is exposed, and the inside of your store (plus its merchandise) is at risk of even more expensive damage due to heavy rains and winds.

In order to physically protect your retail store and all the valuable merchandise inside, you need to create a physical barrier to forced entry that keeps would-be intruders and inclement weather on the other side of your storefront windows.

Riot Glass® Storefront Glass Protection

Riot Glass® offers a wide variety of security glazing solutions for high-end and luxury retail stores. Our goal is to provide a higher level of protection for glass storefronts than anything else available on the market.

Riot Glass® is available in a variety of different compositions and strengths for retailers to choose from. You’re sure to find something that can fulfill your security requirements. 

If we do not have the specific framing or glass you require, we can make it in our custom manufacturing shop. Our metal artisans are world-class talents that can create the specific look and strength level needed to achieve your goals.

For storefront glass, we typically recommend access-denial glazing shields. These are virtually unbreakable and look and feel just like your standard storefront windows. 

The only thing access-denial security glazing doesn’t stop is bullets, but it won’t break apart or diminish in strength even after being riddled with bullets. So, you can imagine how little luck a would-be intruder is going to have, smashing through it with a bat or a sledgehammer.

When a break-in or smash-and-grab attempt is met with Riot Glass®, the perpetrator is going to be very surprised when their efforts to smash your storefront glass are so effectively repelled. They’re either going to move on to find an easier target or get caught by the authorities. 

In situations where the authorities are delayed or preoccupied with other crimes, such as during a widespread riot, our glazing shields have been proven to keep intruders out for up to 1 hour of sustained aggressive attack.

Retrofit Security Glazing for Glass Storefronts

All our security glass solutions for commercial storefront windows are designed to be retrofitted right into or onto your existing framing systems. This means Riot Glass® is much more affordable and convenient than replacing the existing glass doors and windows.

We don’t have to make any structural changes or remove any of your windows to retrofit your retail store with Riot Glass®, so your business is never left exposed and business isn’t interrupted.

We know that the curb appeal of your storefront is a big part of doing business. That’s why Riot Glass® security framing is sleek and modern, so the outward appearance of your retail storefront won’t noticeably change.

Riot Glass® VS Laminated Storefront Glass

One type of strengthened glass retailers often turn to is standard laminated safety glass. What many people don’t understand, though, is that laminated glass is only designed for very light security.

Though stronger and safer than regular annealed or tempered storefront glass, standard laminated glass will do very little to stop force entry or resist any other type of high-force impact. 

Laminated glass is sometimes treated with heat to change the way it breaks - often referred to as heat strengthened lami. This heating and cooling process makes the glass slightly more impact resistant and heat-tolerant when applying graphics to your storefront, but it does not appreciably strengthen the glass in terms of prolonging a forced entry attack. A burglar or rioter can still easily break through it.

Riot Glass®, on the other hand, is designed for the sole purpose of making properties more secure. When you install Riot Glass® over your existing storefront windows, you can rest easy at night knowing your retail store is protected 24/7 against all types of threats.

Custom Riot Glass® Solutions

Above all, you want your storefront to remain “on brand”. The cost of having visually obvious security can dampen sales, and potentially cost more in sales volume than damage and theft combined. 

We recognize that your loss prevention and aesthetics teams want to have a solution that doesn't compromise security needs or cause drastic visual changes. For luxury retailers with an all-glass aesthetic, this is a major challenge. 

Not anymore. The custom-build team at Riot Glass LLC can fabricate elegant all-glass storefronts that meet the approval of your entire team. You are no longer limited to roll-down shutters to protect your store’s high-end design. For the comparable cost, you can have an all-in-one system with no employee open and close procedures required.

Why Riot Glass® Is Ideal for Commercial Storefront Windows

If your main goal is protecting your storefront’s glass doors and windows against break-ins, smash-and-grab theft, rioting, looting, and storm damage, you won’t find better storefront solutions than Riot Glass® out there.

But besides its incredible impact resistance, there are other benefits to upgrading your storefront windows with Riot Glass®. 

For starters, unlike unsightly bars, grates, gates, shutters, and board-ups, Riot Glass® doesn’t prevent window shopping or make your business look closed. Nor does it block out natural views or cut off your views outside.

With Riot Glass®, your storefront glass retains its original appearance and functionality — window shopping, natural light, and views included!