I〔店の垂れ布〕a (split) shop curtain (which is hung outside the entrance and has the shop's name on it);〔室内の仕切り用の垂れ布〕a short (split) curtain hung at the entrance of a room
のれんを押し分けて中へ入る
push past a (shop) curtain and go in
II〔店の信用〕credit
のれんを築く
build up the good name of a store
それは店ののれんにかかわる[を汚す]
It will affect [injure] the reputation [credit/good name] of our store.
あの店は古いのれんを誇っている
It is a long-established store.
のれんに腕押しだ
It is like beating the air.
暖簾を下ろす〔商売をやめる〕close down one's store;〔その日の店じまいをする〕shut up one's store
主人は番頭にのれんを分けた
The storekeeper set his clerk up in business (, letting him use the same shop name)./The proprietor set his clerk up in business at a branch shop.