Organ business closes doors in two malls

Many customers of Southeast Keyboards had been offered free lessons for life. No one explained why the stores closed.

By SHARON BOND

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 14, 2000

ST. PETERSBURG -- Southeast Keyboards closed music stores in two Tampa Bay malls on Feb. 29, breaking leases and abandoning a number of customers promised a lifetime of free organ lessons.

"They closed at Tyrone and Gulf View Square Mall" in Port Richey, said Scott Rolston, manager of Tyrone Square Mall in St. Petersburg. Simon Property Group owns both malls.

Southeast sold electronic home organs, many to elderly buyers. Customers frequently traded in instruments for more expensive ones, getting credit for the trade-ins. Many buyers were guaranteed free weekly organ lessons for life. "I thought it was one big happy family," Doris Dangler of Seminole said of the involvement of staff with customers. "That's how they treated us, and then all of a sudden they are gone."

Rolston said he had been trying to reach Gary Grimes, head of Southeast Keyboards, at the headquarters in Ormond Beach, but that number has been disconnected. A message left with Grimes at another number in Ormond Beach was not returned. No one was available to explain why the stores closed.

At Tyrone, Southeast Keyboards' lease extended into 2001, Rolston said. The music store had been at the mall for about 10 years.

Mrs. Dangler, 76, recently purchased her fourth organ and said she had spent about $14,000 at Southeast. She described herself and her husband as homebodies and said the music was important to them.

Mrs. Dangler and several other customers, including Jeannine and Robert LeMay, were shocked to find an empty store when they arrived for lessons March 2.

The LeMays were strolling through Tyrone Square Mall last fall and heard organ music coming from Southeast Keyboards near Sears. Mrs. LeMay, 71, said she told her husband that maybe they should buy an organ to have music at home.

"We bought right away," Mrs. LeMay said. Then they upgraded. The LeMays said the lifetime of free lessons played a part in their decision to spend $7,000.

Widow Mary Wilkinson, 72, drove from Redington Beach each week for her lessons. She paid about $2,000 for her organ from Southeast, which she described as very basic.

Like the others, Mrs. Wilkinson enjoyed the camaraderie among the music students and staff. She said the Southeast staff held a picnic at Bay Pines Park for the customers. "The people were very friendly, very nice."

Mrs. LeMay spoke for all of them when she said, "We don't know what to do."

Fletcher Music Centers has an answer. The company operates a number of organ stores in the Tampa Bay area, including one at Tyrone. It is offering the abandoned Southeast Keyboards' customers 10 weeks of free lessons, no strings attached.

"We put up a sign, "We will honor your lessons,' " said John Brown, keyboard adviser at Fletcher. He said orientation was set for March 20 with the lessons starting a week later. Brown said all that Southeast customers have to do to participate is identify themselves to the staff.

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