Recent

2025 MMR Dealers’ Choice Awards Nominations – Ballot Closes 9/5!

August 22, 2025
Paul Reed Smith and Governor Wes Moore: photo credit Stephanie Lemus/PRS Guitars

Paul Reed Smith Day Declared by Maryland Governor Wes Moore

August 22, 2025

Timeless Elegance Meets Modern Performance: Introducing The ADJ Vintage Bar

August 22, 2025

Slingerland Launches Radio King and Studio King Outfits, Plus Spare Parts

August 22, 2025

Seattle Cascades Now a Fully Powered KHS America Drum & Bugle Corps

August 22, 2025
Reid Peterson (Audio-Technica U.S. Executive Director of Sales, Professional Markets); Julie Van Berg (Mavric Incorporated sales associate); Kazuo Matsushita (Audio-Technica Corporation CEO/President); Pete Petty (Mavric Incorporated principal); Manabu Aoki (Audio-Technica U.S. CEO/President); Jeff Beck (Audio-Technica U.S. Regional Sales Manager, System Solutions); and David Barrett, Jerry Silhavy and John Herr (Mavric Incorporated sales associates). Photo credit: Corey Walthall, Clyne Media

Audio-Technica honors Mavric, Inc. with its President’s Award

August 22, 2025

Solid State Logic Appoints Mark Skipper to National Sales Manager, Eastern U.S., for Broadcast & Live Audio Production Systems

August 22, 2025

Boston Crusaders Win 1st-Ever DCI Gold Medal Playing Pearl/Adams

August 22, 2025
Sunday, August 24, 2025
  • Contact
MMR Magazine
  • Subscribe Now!
    • Subscribe Now!
  • Advertise
  • Email Press Releases!
  • Current Issue
    • Past Issues
  • Newsroom
    • News
    • MMR Global
    • Supplier Scene
    • Upfront
    • People
  • Awards
    • Dealers’ Choice Awards Ballot 2024
    • Don Johnson Award Winners Archive
  • Directory
  • Get Support!
No Result
View All Result
  • Subscribe Now!
    • Subscribe Now!
  • Advertise
  • Email Press Releases!
  • Current Issue
    • Past Issues
  • Newsroom
    • News
    • MMR Global
    • Supplier Scene
    • Upfront
    • People
  • Awards
    • Dealers’ Choice Awards Ballot 2024
    • Don Johnson Award Winners Archive
  • Directory
  • Get Support!
No Result
View All Result
MMR Magazine
No Result
View All Result

Foster Family Music Center to Close

Christian Wissmuller by Christian Wissmuller
November 7, 2014
in Upfront
0
938
SHARES
2.3k
VIEWS
Share on Facebook
ADVERTISEMENT

After 30 years of serving the Mississippi Valley region, the Foster family will turn their energies towards personal pursuits and close their 8,000 square foot store on December 20. Foster Family Music Center houses one of the largest selections of pianos and sheet music in the state of Iowa. NAMM named this piano specialty store a Top 100 Dealer in 2012 and 2013.

Foster Family Music Center founders Jim and Marilyn Foster, along with their daughter and co-owner Christi Foster Nunnally, said they were unable to find a buyer for the niche business. Beginning the week of November 10, the store will offer discounts of 30 to 60 percent to sell off its inventory of acoustic and digital pianos. The collection includes 30 new and used grand pianos including Yamaha, and many used Steinway family instruments.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Foster family created and supported a number of events that became Quad City-area talent competition and performance staples.

Independent piano music teacher Lynn Kroeger, Eldridge, says she’s going to feel the effect of the store’s closing. “Whether it’s the Federated Music Teacher’s Annual Baroque Competition, the Clavinova Festival, or the Festival of Trees, the Foster family has actively supported students, teachers, technicians and arts organizations,” she said. “I work with young children in groups and the ability to use the store’s recital hall and equipment at no charge has been great. They’ve done so much for our community and I’m not sure how I’ll handle things moving forward.”  The store has hosted several thousand people annually for piano competitions and performances.

The family introduced a competition featuring students performing live with their electronic compositions on the Yamaha Clavinova piano. Not only has this event been a hit in the Quad Cities, it sparked  similar events throughout the United States and world. The Quad Cities’ 25th Clavinova Festival concluded November 2 in the Galvin Fine Arts Center at St. Ambrose University, Davenport, with 300 persons participating. Yamaha instrument representatives were on hand to honor the Foster family for their contribution.

Piano Celebrations raised $354,000 in the last 12 years for Ronald McDonald House. Collaborating with area piano teachers and technicians through the Piano For a Richer Life organization, the family helped organize this event. More than 500 persons were involved annually in the event and raised funds to benefit the Iowa City charity.

For 17 years the family sponsored Quad-City Music Teacher Association concerts throughout the area. The events featured multiple pianos and hundreds of players performing together under a conductor’s baton – something ordinary piano players never experience.

The store closing is bittersweet for the family. After 44 years in the retail music business, Jim and Marilyn Foster will be retiring to a farm on the north fork of the Maquoketa River in Jackson County Iowa.

"Retiring the business was a difficult decision for me, too. My husband and I have resolved that we want to raise our family without the pressing demands of running a business," said Christi Foster Nunnally.

Jim Foster says he’s seen a lot of change in the industry through the years: “I got my start with a Cedar Rapids music store in the ‘70s. At that time, the industry was selling more than 250,000 pianos a year. Today, that number is less than 35,000 for an acoustic piano. Through the years, our partnerships within the Quad Cities music community have kept Foster Family Music healthy and vibrant. We lament the fact that we’ve been unable to find a successor. We’re closing only because of our new family priorities.

“We opened this store 30 years ago during an economic recession. We had 10 competitors in the Quad Cities. Of those competitors, we were the last piano specialty store remaining,” he said. “The industry may be changing, but there will always be a community dedicated to the piano. There is good evidence that piano students enjoy success in school, have more confidence, and go on to achieve as adults. And all those competitions and concerts we sponsored were important in encouraging students to continue to study and perform.”

The store will offer full services through its closing. Competitive bank financing, factory warranties, and delivery service are available. Private appointments are available by calling 800-367-8372. Store hours are Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The store is located at 2967 State Street in Bettendorf, Iowa. 

Tags: Foster Family Music Center
Previous Post

Don Johnson Award Winners

Next Post

New CT Clamp from TRUSST

Related Posts

MMR Global

2025 MMR Dealers’ Choice Awards Nominations – Ballot Closes 9/5!

August 22, 2025
MMR Global

Adam Hall Group Appoints Loud Technologies Asia as Exclusive LD Systems Distributor in Singapore

August 15, 2025
Upfront

Hal Leonard to Distribute Latin Percussion (LP) in the U.S.

August 8, 2025
C Cardenas (Music 4 Life), Kat Witten (Music 4 Life), Mark Maxwell (co-owner Maxwell's House of Music), Whitney McNicol (co-owner, Maxwell's House of Music)
Upfront

‘If You’re In A Band’ Series Sparks Partnership for Music Education Scholarship

August 8, 2025
Steven Greenall (CEO, Denis Wick Products) / Stephen Wick (Retiring Board Chair, Denis Wick Products) / Francesco Passera (CEO, Music Center SRL) / Matteo Valagussa (CFO, Music Center SRL) at Denis Wick Products factory in Poole, Dorset, UK (5th August 2025)
MMR Global

Music Center SRL Acquires Denis Wick Products

August 8, 2025
MMR Global

Get Ready to Rock The 2026 NAMM Show: NAMM Celebrates 125 Years with Five-Days of Music, Innovation and Industry Legacy

August 4, 2025
Next Post

New CT Clamp from TRUSST

Please login to join discussion
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest

Music Sales swoops for Carisch

April 8, 2015

Furch Guitars Introduces Pioneer Series: All-Solid-Wood, Travel-Friendly Short-Scale Guitars

July 21, 2025

NAMM’s Top 100 Dealer Awards Rebranded as The NAMM Retail Awards

July 21, 2025

Jessica Tropea Joins Neutrik Americas as Customer Solutions Engineer

August 15, 2025
Paul Reed Smith and Governor Wes Moore: photo credit Stephanie Lemus/PRS Guitars

Paul Reed Smith Day Declared by Maryland Governor Wes Moore

Timeless Elegance Meets Modern Performance: Introducing The ADJ Vintage Bar

Slingerland Launches Radio King and Studio King Outfits, Plus Spare Parts

Seattle Cascades Now a Fully Powered KHS America Drum & Bugle Corps

2025 MMR Dealers’ Choice Awards Nominations – Ballot Closes 9/5!

August 22, 2025
Paul Reed Smith and Governor Wes Moore: photo credit Stephanie Lemus/PRS Guitars

Paul Reed Smith Day Declared by Maryland Governor Wes Moore

August 22, 2025

Timeless Elegance Meets Modern Performance: Introducing The ADJ Vintage Bar

August 22, 2025

Slingerland Launches Radio King and Studio King Outfits, Plus Spare Parts

August 22, 2025
ADVERTISEMENT
The Latest News and Gear in Your Inbox - Sign Up Today!
  • August 2025

    Articles | Digital Issue
  • July 2025

    Articles | Digital Issue
  • June 2025

    Articles | Digital Issue
  • May 2025

    Articles | Digital Issue
  • April 2025

    Articles | Digital Issue
© 2005 - 2025 artistpro, LLC
7012 City Center Way, Suite 207
Fairview, Tennessee 37062
(800) 682-8114

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Subscribe Now!
    • Subscribe Now!
  • Advertise
  • Email Press Releases!
  • Current Issue
    • Past Issues
  • Newsroom
    • News
    • MMR Global
    • Supplier Scene
    • Upfront
    • People
  • Awards
    • Dealers’ Choice Awards Ballot 2024
    • Don Johnson Award Winners Archive
  • Directory
  • Get Support!

© 2005 – 2024 artistpro, LLC 7012 City Center Way, Suite 207 Fairview, Tennessee 37062 (800) 682-8114

This is Modal Title

Click Me
Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?