In the early days of the 20th century, many men in western Pennsylvania earned their living in coal mines, where back-breaking labor and coal dust inhaled with every breath shortened their lives and made them old men before their time. Jonathan Cooper’s wife insisted that he find another way to earn a living. Drawing on his Welsh roots, he turned to the only other thing he knew—music.
Today, 105-year-old Cooper Piano is still in the family, run by Blake Cooper, Jonathan’s great-great-grandson. “We’re one of the few family-owned businesses in America that are more than 100 years old. I believe we’re one of about three in this industry,” he said.
That’s one reason customers may choose Cooper Piano over its competitors, Cooper said, they can return years later and not only find the company there, but very likely the same employees.
The company relocated to Atlanta in 1976, and is now one of the biggest such companies in the Southeast. “It was the right move at the right time,” Cooper said. “The economy in western Pennsylvania, which depended heavily on the coal and steel industries, was in decline while the Atlanta area was starting a growth spurt.”
From Cooper Piano’s unassuming exterior on the southbound I-85 access road between North Druid Hills and Clairmont roads, visitors might not guess that its retail space is more than 10,000 square feet with rooms devoted to various types of pianos as well as to teaching and tryout space. There’s even a small recital hall, Liberty Theatre, where widely known and community artists give concerts.
Cooper estimates that his company has sold more than 20,000 pianos since it first opened. Although the demand for pianos is down, the business continues to stay afloat. Approximately 350,000 pianos were purchased worldwide in 1924; last year fewer than 30,000 were bought. While many families 85 years ago depended on the piano in the parlor for entertainment, lots of other options are available today. Besides, Cooper pointed out, “Pianos last a long time. Once a family buys one, they may not buy another for generations.”
He added that the downturn in the economy was especially hard on his business. “Pianos are a luxury item,” he said. “They don’t sell well in hard times.” Cooper said it’s likely his company still is among the largest in the country since his competitors face the same challenges he faces.
He said the company has put greater emphasis on the service end of the business—renting and tuning pianos. Outstanding service and community involvement have helped the company maintain an excellent reputation, according to Cooper.
“When the recession hit about three years ago, I had some choices to make. I decided not to lay people off. If we’re going to continue giving the level of service that makes us one of the best in the country, we have to have good employees,” Cooper said.
According to the New York City-based U.S. Commerce Association, Cooper Piano is one of the best in business. For the third consecutive year, the organization chose Cooper Piano as Atlanta’s best piano store. It’s also one of eight music retailers in the United States to earn the Number One Performance Award from the Keyboard Insights Group, a national music research organization.
In addition to grand pianos and uprights, Cooper Piano also sells digital pianos and organs. “At first I pooh-poohed the idea of digital pianos, but they became so popular that I decided I couldn’t lick them so I’d better join them,” Cooper said. Besides, he reasoned, if a customer becomes interested in playing through an inexpensive digital piano, he might upgrade to regular piano as he becomes more serious about it.
Cooper said that quality pianos are available from many sources, but relationships make the difference. “We treat our customers and our employees the way we would want to be treated,” he said.
Article wrote by and credited to Kathy Mitchell