Nov 10, 2002 By James Pletcher Jr. 5 min read

Cyndie King chooses her words carefully when discussing the philosophy of her great love – music. “We put toys that play tunes in our baby’s crib. As soon as the kids get home from school, they do their homework with earphones on their head, trying to listen to music and do their work at the same time. Music is in our lives all day long. It relaxes us. We enjoy it.’

However, King, wearing a sweatshirt with the words “Kindness, Fairness, Generosity,’ on it is just as concerned with electric wiring and maintaining century-old display cases and shelving because she saw an opportunity to combine business and pleasure.

King, who has a master’s degree in business, is the new owner of Uniontown’s Ellis Music Store at 29 Morgantown St., the city’s oldest going concern.

Ellis Music Store started in the 1870s, first selling Singer sewing machines, King said, and then switching to musical instruments, its stock in trade for well over 100 years.

The building housing the business was built in 1843, and was initially a residence. A. Inghram Ellis, a Civil War Veteran, started the business in 1873, moving 10 years later into the house at 29 Morgantown St. The Ellis family sold the business in 1968.

“We are remodeling. We have installed a new furnace and we are putting in all new wiring,’ a chore necessary to bring the property into the 21st century.

But King is preserving elements of the 20th and 19th centuries.

Producing a photo of the store showroom from August 1911, King pointed to the display case and shelves behind it. “They are the same as those,’ she said, looking at the current fixtures.

“We also managed to save the original tin ceiling in the front of the store,’ an elaborately decorated veneer above the display floor. “We are going to have to put in a drop ceiling in the back (where instruments will be on display) because the ceiling has fallen into disrepair. It has too many holes and patches in it and we just can’t repair it.’

King purchased the property and business in an auction this summer for $43,000. Since then she has been working to get the store ready for its grand re-opening later this month.

“Our long range plans here are to have some studios (in the residence portion of the building). We hope to have music rooms. We are going to do this in phases,’ she said.

As something different King will also offer special classes, one of which will be “Kindermusic,’ for children 18-months-to-3-years-old. “I am just completing certification for that. I am also looking at a program offered by Sesame Street.’

The sessions, for the children and their parents, will focus on acclimating the youths to rhythms, sounds and tunes.

“We want to offer classes for seniors. A lot of senior citizens took music at one time. We hope we can start a program for their own enjoyment.

“I have never been in business before but I don’t find this intimidating. I find it challenging. I can apply a lot of what I learned in getting my masters in business.

“Music has always been a love of mine. I have always done it on the side, playing for churches, giving lessons. I saw this (buying the store) as an opportunity. I was happy I was the high bidder.’

King, who lived in the area, moved away and then returned, is a mother of three grown children. Although her background was in computers, King fostered her music in her off hours. “I play the piano, organ and violin. I play the organ at my church, Mt. Calvary Baptist in Fairchance,’ she said. During a time she lived in Kentucky she also gave music lessons.

She remains involved in teaching by participating in a tutoring program for children in sixth through eighth grades in the area.

But buying Ellis Music Store means she can pursue a living doing what she loves.

Music, she said, “in general plays a part in everybody’s life, from listening to it to tapping your foot to it to dance to it. It fills every aspect of our lives. We exercise to it, we listen to it while we walk. I listen to it when I go to bed.’

Her awareness of the Ellis’ store history is another factor in how she will do business.

“We are going to continue doing the things this store has done for years and we will expand. I know this is the oldest business in town. I am going to keep the old with the new. We are going to try to keep all the historical things we have been finding here. Maybe we can set up a little museum in the future.’

She also hopes to get the store named as an historical landmark. “I have looked into that and it will take a lot of work. Right now, that’s not the priority but it’s something I want to do.

“This will be a full-line music store. We will sell, repair and rent instruments. We will offer lessons. Besides instruments, we sell sheet music, strings, reeds and other things people need.

“If we don’t have it we can get it,’ King said. King plans to offer sound system equipment for churches as well, CDs, accompaniment music. equipment for acoustic instruments and other items.

“If you don’t see what you want here, ask, and we will get it.’

Even though the store is not officially open, King said she has already sold some instruments. She is also giving music lessons.

The store will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Ellis Music Store can be reached at 724-437-4011.