A well-respected, family-run Bronx business closed its doors recently, just four years shy of the century mark.
Last week, Investment Property Realty Group (IPRG), announced the sale of the Webster Plumbing’s primary warehouse at 1758 Webster Avenue, located a few hundred feet from the southbound side of the Cross Bronx Expressway and an ancillary warehouse two blocks away at 1801 Carter Avenue.
The two M1-1-zoned properties, consisting of approximately 19,000 square feet of built-out space, fetched $5.6 million.
Jared Friedman and David Roman of IPRG, brokered the sale.
The business was founded in 1930 by Max Toonkel, a Russian-born emigre, who had previously built up a successful pushcart enterprise, visiting construction sites in upper Manhattan and the west Bronx to peddle his wares, according to his great grandson Marc Toonkel.
The business was established two blocks away from its current location, on Washington Avenue. By 1940 Webster Plumbing Supply needed more room and the decision was made to purchase a property on Webster Avenue that formerly housed a livery stable and a pretzel factory.
Toonkel’s two sons, Joseph and Irving were soon part of the team. After World War II Herbert Toonkel and Julius Friedman, representing the third generation joined the family behind the counter of the burgeoning supply house.
“At one time Webster Plumbing had a healthy staff of 25-30 employees,” said Toonkel, who began his career in 1970, reminisced. Adding, “There were three generations of Toonkels helming the operation at one time up until 2000.”
The business catered to the tradesmen -the plumbers, the contractors, Toonkel explained, adding that the do-it-yourselfers were not an integral part of the business at that time.
“There wasn’t a major construction project throughout New York City after 1950 that didn’t have a percentage of its plumbing supplies delivered to the site in a Webster Plumbing delivery truck,” Toonkel said, while rattling off a few developments to make his case: Shea Stadium, NY World’s Fair, World Trade Center and Co-op City to name a few.
But the business climate was changing.
“Product exclusivity became something of the past and the national competitors were able to job the projects themselves. It used to take several warehouses working together to supply a major development,” Toonkel said.
Feeling a sense of purpose and responsibility, he refused to acquiesce and carried the marginal business on his shoulders for as long as he could.
“One day I was looking over a list of plumbing houses that dotted the city and realized they were all gone,” Toonkel recalled. At that moment he accepted the inevitable. Webster Plumbing Supply, Inc., closed in June.
Webster Plumbing Supply shuttering leaves only one family-run plumbing and heating supply warehouse in the Bronx, the 102-year-old Westchester Square Plumbing Supply Co., Inc at 2255 Westchester Avenue.
The firm, begun by Thomas Bieder, originally was located at 2928 E. Tremont Avenue, until the property was seized by eminent domain to build Herbert H. Lehman High School.
With the sale behind him, Marc Toonkel, age 79, and his wife, residents of Westchester County, are looking forward to the endless hours of quality time they now have. They are planning to spend much of that time with their children and grandchildren at their New Hampshire country home.
