Where is My Showroom?

I usually have around 15 beautiful high-end grand pianos available. When people call they are often surprised to find I don’t have a showroom. I’ve looked into it, and it is prohibitively expensive. I would have to add $5,000 to the price of each piano to make it work. So I must have a big house, right? No, although I do have a few pianos here.

I have come up with a plan that has worked quite well for several years now: My neighborhood is my showroom. I call it my Foster-a-Steinway program. I live in a close-knit neighborhood where we all know and appreciate each other. Many of my neighbors have agreed to host a Steinway piano until it sells. When you come to audition pianos, we take a walk around the neighborhood! Not only does this keep costs low, the pianos are presented in real surroundings similar to your home. I have a few neighbors that have hosted seven or eight pianos. One of my friends who has had several 9’ Steinway concert grands go through his house remarked, “It’s like I get a different sports car to drive every few months!”

Some customers have suggested that perhaps they could host a piano instead of buy one. If you want to move to my neighborhood, I’ll consider it! One of my host families has expressed interest in purchasing a Steinway concert grand. I keep telling them I can’t afford to have them buy one. Their living room is too valuable to me as a show space.