history

1971

William “Bill” Kennedy, a textile businessman in Worcester, MA, purchased Central Supply, a local distributor of gas, steam engine and water supplies. Bill asked his son-in-law, Kevin Condron, to leave his job as a Wall Street stockbroker to manage the business. The company was generating $1M in annual sales.

1972

Acquired Rawley Plumbing, a single location plumbing supply house in Putnam, CT.

1981

Acquired Goulet Supply with locations in Manchester, Concord, and Rochester, NH. Kevin Condron hired two key people who would help lead and steer the business for decades to come. Bill Hilfinger became Kevin’s right-hand man, and Joe Goff led the financial operations. 

1986

Opened its first retail plumbing showroom in Worcester, MA naming it The Ultimate Bath Store. At the time, it was unique to have a dedicated space where homeowners could browse decorative plumbing fixtures. 

1988

Opened a Commercial sales division based in Rochester, NH.

1989

Acquired Carmen Thompson with one location on St. John Street in Portland, ME.

1998

Merged with Capitol Plumbing & Heating Supply adding eight locations across NH and VT along with the distribution rights to Kohler products. Moved the company’s main office from Worcester, MA to Concord, NH and changed the company name from Central Supply to The Granite Group, a name that signified the strength of this NH-based company (the “Granite State”). 

2001

Kevin Condron’s son, William “Bill” Condron, joined the family business with a job in a warehouse. Acquired Jamie Plumbing and Heating Supply adding two locations in NH along with a new product discipline, hydronic heating.

2002

Opened a Central Distribution facility in Londonderry, NH and a branch in nearby Hooksett.

2004

Acquired County Supply with a single location in Lowell, MA.

2005

Began to distribute HVAC supplies in addition to plumbing and hydronic heating. 

2007

Acquired Shetucket Supply, a seven-branch plumbing and heating distributor based in Norwich, CT, and opened a branch in Leominster, MA.

2009

Opened a branch in North Haven, CT.

2010

Opened a branch in Lebanon, NH.

2013

Opened the first “On The Go” branch in South Burlington, VT, a smaller location with a more curated inventory to align with the unique needs of local customers. 

2014

Bill Condron became President and CEO of The Granite Group. Opened branches in Auburn, ME and Haverhill, MA.

2015

Acquired Cunningham Supply with locations in West Hartford and Old Saybrook, CT. Moved the Worcester, MA branch to a new location on Boylston Street. Opened a branch in Newport, VT.

2016

Launched the “Online Store,” the company’s first move into e-commerce focused on its core B2B customers. Began to distribute propane equipment and supplies in response to fuel oil customers saying that they wanted to branch out into this growing market opportunity. 

2018

Opened a branch in St. Albans, VT and an “On The Go” location in Londonderry, NH at the Central Distribution facility.

2019

Acquired Webber Supply in Maine with locations in South Portland, Lewiston, Augusta and Bangor. Opened an “On The Go” branch in Salem, NH.

2020

Added a Well and Water Systems division. Opened a branch in Conway, NH.

2021

Celebrated 50 years in the distribution business. Added Government and Institutional Sales to the company’s list of markets served. Opened branches in Narragansett, RI; Sturbridge, MA; and Milford, MA. Moved the branch and showroom from St. John Street in Portland, ME to Warren Ave. Moved the Augusta, ME branch across town to a location 3x its size. And opened a stand-alone showroom in Nashua, NH. Chris Ploss was promoted to President, and Amir Rosenthal to Chief Operating Officer.

2022

Bill Condron served as President of the American Supply Association. Launched a comprehensive PVF division. Opened new branches in Littleton and North Chelmsford, MA. Acquired United Plumbing Supply in Springfield, MA along with its stand-alone showroom in nearby West Springfield. Modernized The Granite Group brand with a new logo and tagline, “Great. People. Great Products.”

2023

Opened new branches in Manchester, VT; Claremont, NH; and Farmington, ME. Launched a private label line of HVAC equipment called Custom Comfort. The Ultimate Bath Store was rebranded to become Sink & Spout, offering products for the bathroom, kitchen, and pantry; and lighting for the whole home.

2024

Opened a Sink & Spout showroom, the company’s 16th, in Portsmouth, NH. Acquired Premier Supply Group, adding 7 branches and 1 showroom across western Massachusetts and southern Vermont. Opened branches in Plymouth and Somersworth, NH; Peabody and Woburn, MA; and Willimantic, CT.