A Northern Ireland piano dealer, the only authorised seller of Yamaha instruments in the province, has doubled its capacity with the purchase of new premises.
Belfast Pianos has invested a “six figure” sum in the new 5,500 square foot facility near Lurgan in a move designed to allow the business to grow and take a larger slice of the wholesale piano market.
With the ability to hold larger stock, it hopes to be able to grow its customer base from one made up mostly of consumers to one able to cope with demand from businesses and other organisations.
The move, assisted by funding from Ulster Bank, gives greater access to arterial transport routes and will allow it to service sales across the island of Ireland.
The business is owned and managed by Steven Russell and his partner Jeena and offers new, used and refurbished upright and grand pianos.
Steven said the wholesale market is a target for the business.
“This is a key area of growth for us,” he said. “Until now we’ve operated primarily as a B2C business, selling pianos directly to the public.
“A bigger facility allows us to hold stock in larger volumes so that we can develop the wholesale side of the business.”
He said the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown had boost the popularity of playing the piano.
“We saw a real surge in demand for our products, a trend that appears to have been relatively consistent for musical instrument retailers throughout lockdown. That demand has remained consistent and we’re now in a position to capitalise, thanks to the backing of Ulster Bank.”
Ulster Bank business development manager Lee White said the business is primed for growth.
“This loan facility is an important step in helping Belfast Pianos maximise its potential,” he said. “The new site will help Steven capitalise on current demand levels as well as provide the capacity needed to expand into wholesale distribution.
“We’re also pleased to welcome Belfast Pianos as one of our newest business banking customers and we look forward to working with Steven day-to-day to help scale the business and sustain growth.”
