Cafe and record shop closing with things back to normal
BUSINESS WAS SET UP AS A SIDELINE IN THE PANDEMIC
A RECORD shop and cafe which opened to help see a business through the pandemic is to close.
Music agency DG Music, of Oakham, has decided to close The Piano Cafe to concentrate on its core business of providing professional bands and musicians for events.
Director David Graham said: “We took on the lease at 61 South Street in October 2019 as office and showroom space for DG Music.
“Within five months we were in lockdown and all events were cancelled, so we diversified by opening a small record shop and cafe within the premises in order to keep trading and to create something positive for us and the town.”
The pandemic meant that thousands of weddings, parties and events had to be cancelled and the agency spent two years rescheduling events for their customers for no charge.
Now, with life having returned to normal, the market for live entertainment is back, prompting the decision to shut down the sideline business.
David and Matt Luker, who both work in the shop, said they had derived immense satisfaction from running the Piano Cafe and creating a welcoming space for shoppers to drop in for a chat and a coffee.
They said they wanted to thank everyone who supported the Piano Cafe venture during an extremely difficult time for the music industry and would like to assure everyone that they will remain actively involved in the town as they shift their focus to running DG Music online.
Matt said: “We pride ourselves on offering personal service and will continue to meet customers face to face to discuss their event needs in the many welcoming cafes, hotels and pubs we have in our town, or at the client’s home or event venue.”
DG Music is celebrating its 20-year anniversary next year and is planning an event in Oakham to mark the occasion.