A successful merchant learns early that business begins before the customer crosses their threshold. It starts with the invitation itself.

I am that invitation—a simple awning extending shelter into the street.

Not grand, not ornate, but purposeful. I offer shade from the blazing sun, protection from sudden rains, a moment's respite before you even consider what lies beyond my door.

The merchant who placed me here understood that people need to feel welcomed before they feel ready to enter. They need a place to pause, to gather courage, to decide if they trust what awaits them inside.

I have watched countless travellers approach this threshold. Some rush past, intimidated by closed doors and unfamiliar places.

But others - the curious ones, the wise ones - they pause beneath my shelter. 

In that pause, something shifts. The stranger becomes a guest. The unknown becomes a possibility. 

The greatest merchants knew this secret: true wealth isn't just what you possess, but what you're willing to share—a moment of comfort, freely given. Shelter offered before it's requested.

I may be simple corrugated metal and weathered wood. Still, I carry the wisdom of generations of traders who understood that every great journey, every meaningful connection begins the same way - with an invitation to step closer.