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Hi All,

I sort of can't believe this hasn't been done before, but here you go,





Could the same concept be applied to pianos? Cocktails and Keys? What are your thoughts?

I should mention that this is from the current Music Trades, the music industry news source.

The ball's in your court.

Yes, I think this could be done but I would be fearful of cocktails near any piano !!! Maybe ‘no drink or food policy’ in the piano display area? It would also be a way for area musicians to network

You could also start a ‘Meetup Group’ at Cunningham ‘s so that the members would also be the entertainment

+1 Go for it Rich!

Coffee and Keys!! (Ok, or Koffee and Keys?)

That would work for afternoons as well as evenings.

Those guitar stores have the instruments hung up out of reach. The pianos of course can't be displayed like that.

I would have a heart attack watching people with drinks standing around the pianos, not to mention the issue of intoxicated customers hanging out and not leaving. I am horrified by pink recital punch and little cookie fingers. Every piano in my store has a cover. Nothing is opened unless it is being tuned or shown. I am a fanatic about keeping stock pristine.

I love having recitals for children and adults but the new stock is in another room when we host those events.

lol

Drinks and fine piano's don't go together unfortunately.

It sounds like the idea is to have guitars available for patrons to try out. Having worked in MI retail I can see this as problematic. Musicians love to try out guitars but usually their ambitions exceed their financial capability to pay. While alcohol may loosen the purse strings of those with some ability to pay the potential for it to turn into drunken jam session heaven could be deleterious to the intent (actually selling guitars).

As for pianos, I've shopped for and purchased a fairly high ticket piano. I bought from the store that gave me lunch (no alcohol necessary). While I can play guitar reasonably well while inebriated, the same cannot be said for playing piano. I need my full mental faculties to play piano well enough to really evaluate an instrument. In fact I need a reasonable amount of warm up (exercises and scales) before I can really get a sense of what I can do with a particular a piano. I think piano stores would be well advised to have an instrument in a sound proof booth so patrons can warm up before exiting onto the sales floor to actually check out pianos.

The space needed to display even a very limited number of pianos would likely result in rent that was unaffordable.

Kahluas and Keys

Nothing wrong with Cocktails for two....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRjCrOrCLfY

In my hipster neighbourhood there is a bike repair, café & bar shop, and it seems to prosper rather well. I think there are a few prerequisites, and least in these parts. It must be two separate areas, so one part can be closed off but at the same time be viewed, and it should be close to public transport (drink & drive is not a good combination). I found the concept very interesting. The closest I have seen in piano shops is to arrange events via social media such as facebook, where various artists or graduating students keep a concert. That works quite well I think, although some do it better than others.

I get invitations from time to time from the Chicago-area Steinway dealer to come to a (Steinway artist) evening concert in the showroom, serving drinks and hors d'oeuvres before, during, and after the concert. Very much a cocktail party atmosphere with plenty of opportunity to sit down and try out a piano (just don't put your drink on it!). I'm pretty sure the Fazioli/Yamaha dealer does the same thing, but they're not so easy for me to get to in the evening.

Larry.

Can you you imagine, beer stained Abel hammers ,pieces of food in the Renner action, stained soundboard ?
A short good recital on a Bösendorfer or Cunningham pianos in an adjoining room. Tea or Coffee at
interval (during the recital).After a short discussion about pianos .,Then a tour which encourages people to try a few pianos.That is all ! (sorry limitations on fun ?)

Heck, I've got a Fazioli and a coffee maker. I'll host Koffee and Keys any time!

What could possibly go wrong?

Either your imagination or your bolts are not strong enough!

Come on guys - it's been done!



Sam

Grand Idea, Rich. The “no drinks around pianos” and a few steely eyed sales folk/bouncers keep the drinks in the eating and drinking area. We used to have a Harley shop that was attached to a small pub type cafe with indoor tables and outdoor picnic area. You couldn’t take any food or drinks around the bikes on display. You were free to leave your food on the table and clean your hands before sitting on any bike. The new Harley shop serves coffee at small tables and you of course put it down before sitting on a bike. They also serve hot dogs, chips, and a coke for $2 outside the store where you can walk around and check out the used bikes parked outside.
Car dealers serve free pizza and soda on weekend and you can take food to scattered tables inside and outside. But naturally no pizza when you sit in their cars or trucks. Sales folk police the no food in new vehicles policy.
Or even a microbrewery that serves typical bar fare in a clear area dining area and have some of your local pianist talent play your latest “featured grands” on Friday night. Have them play for about an hour or so, when the customers are done eating they can stick around to try some of your new or used pianos.