Piano Gallery Remains Open For Business After Being Hit By 2 Cars in 3 Days

Buying a piano requires time and research and isn’t done haphazardly.

But two recent incidents at the Steinway Piano Gallery at 120 S. Washington St.in downtown Hinsdale had Sales Manager Diane Duncan feeling her store was turning into a drive-thru business.

In late February, the piano gallery experienced not one, but two accidents when drivers jumped the curb and hit the building within days of each other.

The first accident took place Feb. 21, Duncan said. She was inside the business when she heard a loud noise and felt the building shake. A man who was parking his car jumped the curb and hit the building, but other than some displaced bricks, there wasn’t much damage, she said.

Then, two days later, a similar incident at the business Feb. 23 caused more damage.

“A customer was sitting at my desk purchasing a piano and we heard a huge bang and another car had hit the building,” Duncan said.

The second time the car went through the doors because the driver who was parking was near one of the business’ entrances.

Luckily, none of the drivers were injured, no pedestrians were in the area and the business' handmade pianos were not damaged either.

“Glass was everywhere and took a little bit to get everything cleaned up,” she said.

The Steinway Piano Gallery in Hinsdale is one of eight galleries nationwide that is factory and corporately owned, Duncan said. The business houses about 40 pianos, mostly Steinways, which are hand-crafted and take up to a year to build. The shop also features Essex and Boston brands, which are designed by Steinway, but are not hand-crafted.

The accidents happened as the business is heading into their busy piano recital season, she said. Some piano teachers use the gallery for student recitals. With the building damaged, some people wondered what had happened.

The doors were being temporarily fixed on Monday morning, Duncan said. The new permanent doors won’t be installed for a few months, she said.

“We love it here in Hinsdale. Everyone comments on the beauty of the environment,” she said. “… We just didn’t expect it to be a drive-thru.”