The first display windows in shops were installed in the late 18th century in London, where levels of conspicuous consumption were growing rapidly. Retailer Francis Place was one of the first to experiment with larger plate glass windows. Shop windows were meant to surprise and impress. Today it is the state of main street that surprises and depresses. Small towns have been in decline since the demise of the agrarian era and the rise of the big box stores. In the past 3 decades these shop windows reflect the struggle small towns find themselves in trying to remain relevant and prosperous. Prior to everyone having a car, window shopping was something you did while strolling down the sidewalk. Today many of the windows are as empty as the sidewalks.
