SAN FRANCISCO, Ca., October 9 — You love the great outdoors, but the great outdoors doesn’t always love you back. Maybe you live under a stubborn rain cloud; maybe last week’s skin check-up has sent you scurrying from shadowy corner to shadowy corner. Or maybe you’re fine with the elements, but you’re trying to accommodate a wide clientele in your outdoor business. Better knock out some ceiling and put in a few skylights, right? Wrong.
How did Ancient China and Robinson Crusoe work wonders in your backyard? In the Beginning. In the beginning, God made sun. And rain. And hail. And gravity. All of which, naturally, encouraged the ancient Chinese to come up with the umbrella idea, which was adopted by parties like ancient Greeks, prim Victorian women, and fictional 18th-century island castaways making clever use of overhead goatskins. This was all well and good, but African-American inventor William C. Carter — concerned with the theft-friendly manner in which umbrellas were left strewn around doorways — patented the first umbrella stand in 1885. From there, it didn’t take much creativity to realize that the same design that organized wet, collapsed, upside-down umbrellas could also support dry, expanded, upright ones. And what started as a Type-A itch to scratch has revolutionized outdoor spots the world over. (Although it’s made those parasol-carrying-butler positions pretty hard to come by these days.)
Innovations
The umbrella idea has had quite a while to catch on, but growing contemporary awareness of UV rays and skin cancers has been a huge factor in the patio umbrella market’s explosion. The attendant depth and variety — in price, in size, in style, in setting — has come at no cost to one constant: weather protection. Whether designed to hold up under strong winds, shed tropical-storm-like waves of rain, or filter impressive proportions of harmful UV rays, patio umbrellas are better than ever at their millennia-old purpose of guarding their users against the elements even as they sit among them.
What’s In It For You?
Fit skin. We’ve met our share of militant dermatologists — and that’s a birthmark, but thanks for asking — and trust us, we’ve got a guilt-free way for you to soak up nature’s finest sparkling days. The market’s fabrics are only getting more advanced and protective, after all. (As for the five-yard walk from the back door to your favorite shaded deck chair, you’re on your own.)
Fresh air. We’d all understand if you had to duck out of the sun behind an excuse of fair hair and freckles, or if you contented yourself with watching a warm, soothing summer rain from behind a big piece of plate glass, but — no, we wouldn’t. Drag a few of your friends out under that big, accommodating beauty and enjoy the nuances of the season.
Fashion. Whether you prefer stripes or solids, primary colors or pretty pastels; whether you prefer squares or ovals or octagons; whether you prefer marketplace style or beach flavor; whether or not you think mahogany’s warmth beats steel’s flashy little pants off; whether your deck has a specific style to fit or could use a little individual flair from its newest addition, we’ve got something to catch your eye.
Fair-weather finances. If you own a business that could use a little extra warm-weather seating, these babies will come in more than handy. And nothing drums up business quite as nicely as a happy crowd of folks enjoying a sunny day at your inviting front door. (Nothing legal, anyway.)
Meet your match:
We’ve got models for tiny decks or big pavilions, for garden settings or flashy commercial areas, for do-it-yourself handymen or lovers of all things motorized. And if you want to talk things like pole material, pole diameter, canopy shape, canopy style, or canopy color, you might want to bring a couple of meals and a sleeping bag.
| | Save & Share |  Take 10% off any patio umbrella over $500. Enter coupon code PATUM at check out. Coupon valid through 10/19/2006 at | | |
| Clearance |  Here comes the sun!
The Windbrella 6 ft Solartech Beach Umbrella comes with our patented, double canopy Windbrella vented mesh system. The umbrella includes a tilt feature, closure strap, durable and reflective weather resistant fabric, and a matching storage/carry bag. Wait, we’ll throw in free shipping too. Did we metion a price tag of just $58.98?
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| Top Brand | Want to learn how to deal with the weather? Learn from Canadians — as in, this B.C.-based company, whose cantilevered lovelies have thrown down the market challenge to match their design of massive, unobtrusive, freestanding coverage. They’re expensive, but they’re worth it; even the lowest-priced model comes with a five-year warranty against defects in material and workmanship.
The FIM Store | |
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