Sam Ash In Cherry Hill To Close As Company Goes Out Of Business

CHERRY HILL, NJ — Sam Ash, once one of the nation's biggest retailers of musical instruments, will close all locations, including the Cherry Hill store.

The family-owned chain operated for a century, becoming a hub for generations of musicians to purchase instruments, sheet music and other musical needs. On Thursday, the Ash family announced that all remaining locations would enter liquidation.

Cherry Hill's store, which opened in 1992, was the business's first location outside of the New York area. It is expected to remain open for eight to 12 weeks.

The business began after Sam Ash — a violin teacher and gigging musician — and his wife Rose emigrated from Eastern Europe to Brooklyn. In 1924, they opened what would become the first Sam Ash Music Store. The Ash family has owned the retailer for three generations.

Last March, Sam Ash announced that 18 of its stores would close nationwide. But last week, the company announced that its 27 remaining stores would also shutter.

Sam Ash Music has no plans to file for bankruptcy. But the company is open to a potential buyer purchasing its intellectual property to maintain the chain and its website, the Wall Street Journal reports.

The Cherry Hill store (2100 Route 38) is South Jersey's only Sam Ash location and one of just two in the state.