A stoop is a small raised structure in front of a home, typically with a step or several stairs and a railing that lead to the entrance). It is an architectural style of exterior staircase entrance traditionally popular in the Netherlands. Unlike a porch or patio, a stoop usually doesn’t have a roof or overhang to protect it from the rain or sun. Traditionally, stoops were designed as a spot for incidental social encounters, where parents or children might spot a friend on a stoop and have a quick chat or run into neighbors while they relax out front). Stoops are also a popular location to grow flowers, put small pieces of furniture, or install a mounted mailbox. In American English, a stoop is also a small staircase ending in a platform and leading to the entrance of an apartment building or other building).