A hallmark store in Freehold's music history, the Freehold Music Center has served the state for almost sixty years. Owner J. Michael Diehl is set to retire this month, leaving the iconic store to his son, John. 

The store opened in 1951 on Main Street in Freehold Borough, and has since moved to the Freehold Mall shopping center on Rt. 9 South.

The 27,000 square foot emporium carries the largest selection of pianos in the state of New Jersey. The store carries acoustic, digital, and player pianos by Kawai, Roland, Yamaha, Hobart M. Cable, Seiler and Kohler & Campbell. 

The Freehold Music Center houses a staff of 20 who are informative and helpful in selecting the perfect instrument for a musician of any level.

Technicians are also on site working and repairing instruments that have already been sold.

Freehold Music Center sells a wide variety of guitars, amps, DJ equipment, drums, keyboards, and pro-audio equipment. 

The store not only sells instruments and musical appurtenances, but has offered music lessons since the store's opening. 

Currently, there are about 30 music teachers on site that offer lessons in piano, guitar, drums, violin, flute, cello, saxophone, clarinet, trumpet, and voice. Music lessons cost $85 a month for half hour lessons once a week, or $170 a month for hour-long sessions once a week. 

If you already have mastered an instrument and want to expand your musical repertoire,  Freehold Music Center stocks a myriad of sheet music for beginners, amateurs, and professionals ranging from classical pieces to popular artists. 

"It's retail, it's lessons, and we're also full service as well," George Signore, a marketing and sales employee, explained. "We recondition pianos, we service pianos in the field with tuners, there are technicians on board, and we also install player systems on pianos."

Keyboard Express is a company that works in a partnership with the Freehold Music Center, delivering and setting up the pianos the music store sells, Signore said.  A national company, Keyboard Express has been working in piano transport and delivery for over 20 years. 

Coming January 2011, Diehl's son, John, will take over the store.  John currently runs a music store in Tom's River called Tom's River Music, which he will continue to retain ownership of while he runs Freehold Music Center, Signore said. 

In honor of Diehl's official retirement the Freehold Music Center is holding a Retirement Sale with exceptional deals on new grand, upright, and player pianos; used pianos begin at only $200. 

The showroom is being cleared out so that the store can be refurbished for John's takeover. While the store will look different, the quality and service will remain the same since it will remain within the Diehl family, according to Signore.