McGill Plumbing: Serving All Of Pinellas County

Plumbing showrooms aren't the dull places they used to be now that bathrooms feature designer faucets, sinks of hand-painted ceramics and elegant glass vessels, all housed in an array of high- fashion furnishings. The new McGill Plumbing showroom exemplifies the trend.

The showroom and two-story 11,151-square-foot building replaced the company's former, smaller quarters - no room for a luxury showroom - on the same property. Walking through his new showroom, McGill president and chief executive officer Al Wood pointed out a child's white bathroom sink with a multicolored faucet and matching white toilet as a hot selling combo. The child's fixtures are arranged next to adult fixtures for size comparison. Wood said he wants customers to see how some of the sinks and tubs look installed in a spacious, hands-on arena.

More fixtures and accessories are being added to the decorative showroom. After a year of preparation, it will be finished by Thanksgiving week, he said. Soon, he added, background music will play on the showroom floor. A sound system is installed but won't be operational for a week or so. McGill has operated on the same property for 41 years.

In 1962, John McGill opened the business at 111 N Missouri Ave. in a converted stable. In 1971, Al Wood joined McGill, and after four years, the men became equal partners. Business in those days, Wood said, was 98 percent new construction and 2 percent service. "By 1980, we could see we were running out of dirt and buildings were getting older," Wood said. "We began shifting to 100 percent service. "That same year, the business expanded to a larger building at the back of the property and was located there until last year, when the new building was constructed.

The partners purchased a large piece of the land and eventually owned the entire three acres at the northwest corner of West Bay Drive and Missouri Avenue. In 1988, water treatment was added to the company's services. The company offers its own reverse osmosis water purifier product in addition to other options.

McGill died two years ago at age 89. "In all our years together, we never once had an argument about anything," Wood said. Wood bought McGill's part of the business and is president and CEO. Wood sold half of the three-acre property to CVS Pharmacy and the company's new store opened last year. The two businesses share an entranceway off Missouri Avenue. Business dropped a little during construction. "Now I can see it starting to turn around," Wood said. Five employees have been hired, bringing the total to 30. Sales last year were in excess of $3- million, he said. The business serves only Pinellas County.

One of Wood's favorite features of the new building is a 26-foot- high faucet that drips neon water and splashes high above the entrance at night. "No one here would make it for me - I had to go to Orlando to the people who work for Disney to get the job done," he said. At a cost of more than $30,000, it's probably the most expensive faucet around, he said. Wood said general manager Rick Leslie and officers run the business. "I keep my nose out of it as much as possible," he said. Vice president Glen Leslie is the company's accountant and has been with the business since 1976, Wood said.

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