Fate of third-generation family-owned piano business in question following flood
Ward Piano Co. Inc
By Hannah Mackenzie
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CANTON, N.C. (WLOS) — Flooding damage from Tropical Storm Fred could mean the end of a third-generation family-owned business in Canton.
On Wednesday, Aug. 25, several dozen damp pianos were piled alongside Asheville Highway. They came from Ward Piano Co. Inc.
According to co-owners Alden and Kelly Ward, three to four feet of floodwater inundated their showroom, workshop, and storage buildings when the storm hit.
The business was started by the siblings’ grandfather in 1944.
“A door-to-door salesman, that’s how he started,” Alden Ward said.
The Wards are still in the process of assessing damages, but Kelly Ward said at least 70 pianos were destroyed.
According to Alden Ward, they are hoping to salvage about one dozen.
“The actual mechanics were not in the water, just the cosmetic part, the legs,” Alden Ward said. “We took them out, we dried them off, took them to a dry location and put fans on them, so we’ll see what happens over the next few weeks. We’re hoping that they weren’t in the water long enough for long-term damage.”
According to the Wards, they have not heard anything about state or federal aid. They did speak with Governor Roy Cooper, who was touring the area on Wednesday.
“We’ve lost a lot of roads, bridges, homes, businesses, and public institutions,” Cooper said during his visit to Western N.C. “We want to make sure we are eligible for everything we can get.”
With COVID-19 already taking a big chunk out of the Wards’ profits, they said they are not sure what their next steps will be.
Kelly Ward said it wasn’t just the pianos they lost; tools, equipment, and their transport truck were also ruined.
“This right here pretty much put the nail in the coffin, so to speak,” Alden Ward said. “It doesn’t mean we’re done; it’s just going to take us a while to see where we stand.”
The Wards said they are waiting to hear back from their insurance company before deciding the fate of the business.
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