40 YEARS OF REPAIRS
Cole’s Woodwind Shop celebrates anniversary
TROY, N.Y. » Longtime local business Cole’s Woodwind Shop is celebrating its 40th anniversary as an area resource for musicians from near and far.
Located at 47 Phila St. in downtown Saratoga Springs, Cole’s Woodwind Shop is a family business owned and operated by Bill Cole, along with his son Billy Cole.
Cole originally started Cole’s Woodwind Shop after attending Morrisville State College, where he learned how to play and fix all types of woodwind, brass and string instruments.
Before that, Cole had no plans to go to school for music, but it was his high school music teacher that encouraged him to pursue music as a career. In those days Cole played percussion and timpani in the school band. He skipped a day of classes to drive two hours away to Morrisville — only telling his then-girlfriend, now-wife Mary Alice where he was going — and got into the program last minute. Since that fateful day, instrument repair has been a huge part of Cole’s life.
Upon returning to the Capital Region after college, the Troy native wasn’t finding luck getting hired as a 19-year-old with a degree but little experience. So, he started his own repair shop on 19th Street in Watervliet.
In the early days, “I started out basically with no work,” Cole recalled, but over the years business has increased exponentially. Establishing himself and building a reputation began with doing “pro work” for professional musicians, he said. In time, Cole’s Woodwind Shop grew primarily through recommendations from one musician to another.
Baritone saxophonist Nick Brignola, also from Troy, was one of Cole’s first famous customers.
“At a very early age I was working on his horn, and as a result he was sending his friends,” Cole explained, adding that one of those friends was wellknown jazz tenor saxophonist J. R. Monterose.
“This was within months of opening my shop, and I just never looked back since,” Cole said.
In the past four decades, Cole’s Woodwind Shop has had the opportunity to work on many other high profile players’ instruments, including members of the Philadelphia Orchestra, the New York City Ballet Orchestra and Dave Matthews Band as they’ve visited to entertain at Saratoga Performing Arts Center.
Cole remembers a time when two trombonists, one from Chicago and one from Earth Wind & Fire, collided their instruments while performing a grand finale when the acts were on tour together — one night before their appearance at SPAC. The next day, Cole was asked to fix the broken horn, and he did.
“I probably have a thousand stories like that,” Cole said, thinking back on his years of repair work.
“It’s been a rewarding career,” Cole said, noting that he enjoys working on instruments for students and amateurs just as much as for the celebrities that
come through his shop. “It’s just as fun helping a fourthgrader before his first concert as it is having somebody playing at SPAC, because they appreciate it so much,” he said. “You get that smile when you fix their instrument.”
Cole can play all of the instruments that he fixes, but doesn’t seek the spotlight himself. He leaves that to the professionals, he said. “I get the biggest kick out of fixing them and then going and seeing them play.”
Along with performing lots of repairs, Cole’s Woodwind Shop has expanded into reconditioning and selling used instruments as well as brand new instruments. Cole has also taught several apprentices in his shop over the years.
It wasn’t until 2004 that Cole’s Woodwind Shop moved to the Spa City, a decision Cole said he made because lots of his customers were coming from the area. “I’ve always loved Saratoga,” said Cole, who now lives in the city. “It’s a great community. All the business owners know each other. We all look out for each other.” The shop was located on Broadway in the downtown district before moving to its current home.
Today, Cole’s Woodwind Shop is open six days a week on Phila Street, adjacent to the legendary folk music venue Caffè Lena. Cole enjoys working late nights when there is a performance and listening to the music from upstairs as he repairs instruments. Furthermore, he said having a music store and a music venue in the same building is a great match.
During Caffè Lena’s recent remodel, Cole’s Woodwind Shop expanded to have a larger work space.
Looking ahead to the future, Cole said that his son, who grew up in the business, will eventually take over as he plans to step back and quietly continue repairing instruments.
“He’s always been in the shop ever since he was a little kid,” Cole said about Billy. “He’s never not been a part of the shop.”
Cole also anticipates doing more teaching on instrument repair, including in Haiti through a program called Horns for Haiti. After becoming involved through St. John’s Episcopal Church in Troy, which has a sister parish in Lascahobas, he has visited several times throughout his career and will return there again in December.
Cole’s Woodwind Shop is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.