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Tennessee-based company buys Freenotes Harmony Park

Buyer PlayCore Holdings owns 17 other companies

Tennessee-based company,

Freenotes manufactures outdoor musical instruments in Bodo Industrial Park, and the business is expected to be largely unchanged following the sale, CEO Donna Codd said.

Freenotes will retain its Bodo building and, with PlayCore’s assistance in marketing, the company could see sales and its workforce increase, she said.

Freenotes has 17 employees and sells instruments within the U.S. and internationally.

“It’s pretty natural to expect some growth,” she said.

PlayCore, a privately held company, owns 17 other companies that sell outdoor playground and aquatic equipment and surfacing. But it did not have outdoor musical instruments, such as drums, chimes and xylophones. That’s why the company approached Freenotes Harmony Park, Codd said.

“They are typically purchasing companies that add to the value and core mission of creating community through play,”she said.

Freenotes instruments are generally added to larger playground projects.

The price range for an instrument ensemble of three to five instruments is $7,000 to $20,000, according to the company’s website.

The sale will allow the company’s three owners to retire, she said.

Two of the owners, company founder Richard Cooke and his nephew Robert Cooke, will remain with the company for awhile as consultants to help with the transition, she said.

Richard Cooke invented the company’s first instruments 20 years ago, and he will continue to help with the design of new instruments.

“He has a dream for every community to get a music park,” she said.

Robert Cooke, the former vice president of production, will make sure all of his knowledge is transferred, she said.

mshinn@durangoherald.com

Jan 7, 2018
Freenotes Harmony Park in Durango moving some operations to Georgia


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