Piano Distributors will move to Stephen's Furniture building

BUYER: William Clifton Boyce, Ellenton

SELLER: CDC of Sarasota Inc.

PROPERTY: 7606 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota

PRICE: $1.1 million

PREVIOUS PRICE: $1.2 million, January 2000

LAW FIRM ON DEED: Bender Bender & Chandler PA, Palmetto

PLANS, DESCRIPTION: William Boyce purchased the former Stephens Furniture building in Sarasota for $1.1 million.

The price equated to $95 per square foot.

Boyce, owner of Palmetto-based Piano Distributors, plans to convert the 11,567-square-foot building into a retail outlet. Piano Distributors will move to the building from a leased 8,000-square-foot space at 4441 S. Tamiami Trail.

“We felt that Tamiami Trail was the right place to be and this location is not too far north from our current location,” says John Slump, vice president of Piano Distributors. “It also put us in the vicinity of some really upscale furniture stores, including Robb & Stucky.”

Piano Distributors plans to use much of the additional space in the building for classrooms.

Jag Grewal and Michele Fuller of Ian Black Real Estate represented the seller and Jerry Strom of Michael Saunders & Co. represented the buyer.