For the first time in 135 years, Cunningham Piano Company will not have a physical presence in Philadelphia. Its last outpost, 24-26 E. Coulter Street in Germantown, has been put up for sale and will soon have new owners. The sale also marks the end of piano making in the city of Philadelphia, which in the 19th century was home to 80 companies.
For Cunningham Piano, it’s a change that has been in the making for a while. In 2016, its showroom was moved to King of Prussia, opening auxiliary locations in Cherry Hill and Delmar, Delaware, while keeping its piano restoration business in Germantown. “Restorations are still a part of the business, though the demand has decreased,” explained co-owner Tim Oliver. “We’re always going to restore pianos, because we love it.”
Although he said consolidating made good business sense, it wasn’t without emotion. “It was especially hard for my partner [Rich Galassini], who’s worked for the company for almost 40years,” he said, adding wryly, “I’ve only been here for 28.”…