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My business is quite okay. I opened a store with used pianos and new Wendl & Lung (Hailun) pianos here in Germany exactly one year ago (today is my jubilee). In the meantime I do more tunings than without the store. I donīt do rebuilings and only make "ambulant" repairs that do not require to move the instrument in a workshop. Like every year in september the summer slump is over and the high season reliably beginns. Seems that the economical situation in Europe is still not so bad like in the USA. We had no Ike and are used to high gas prices for years. No idea what the Wall Street trouble brings us here, but I hope it will not affect piano business. I really would like to hear about the business situation from other European collegues: am I just lucky or is it similiar in other European countries?<br><br>Gregor<br><br><hr>From: pcpoulson@sbcglobal.net<br>To: pianotech@ptg.org<br>Subject: Re: How's business?<br>Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2008 08:10:38 -0700<br><br>
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<div><font size="2" face="Arial">In the semi-rural area I live in, with a population
in the county around that one medium city (85,000+), our economic base has been
shrinking for at least a year. I noticed a drop - off this time last year, and
it hasn't improved since then. The drop in the housing market in particular is
one of the significant factors. Two local furniture stores have closed, and even
a copy/printing company that relied to a large extent on serving planners,
developers, and architects. Most of the significant work has been for retired
piano owners with comfortable retirement situations.</font></div>
<div><font size="2" face="Arial">Patrick C. Poulson<br>Registered Piano
Technician<br>Piano Technicians Guild</font></div>
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