Al Penovi’s Trademark Porcelain Park Is No More

By Steve Bigham

Many people in town this week were wondering what happened to all the old toilets and tubs in front of Al Penovi’s plumbing supply house on Washington Avenue.

Rumors even began to float that Al had finally closed up shop after all these years. In truth, however, Al, local developer Chuck Tilson and Mr Tilson’s brother-in-law Bruce Moulthrop cleaned the place up over the past weekend.

Mr Penovi, a local plumber for more than 60 years, has gained a reputation for holding on to old porcelain. The front yard of his Washington Avenue shop was littered for as long as most people can remember with old toilets, sinks, bathtubs, and just about any other bathroom appliance. An antiques collector of sorts, Mr Penovi told The Bee two years ago that he appreciates the value of old stuff, and there is always someone in the market for a part that only he has.

“If you get rid of a lot of the old stuff, then it just ain’t the same,” he said. “When people say it’s junk, I say it isn’t. But what are you going to do when you need it?”

All the trademark “junk” out in front is now long gone, carted away to that place where all discarded porcelain goes… the dump.

Wood chips will soon adorn the front of the shop, as will a decorative fence… all paid for by Mr Tilson, who has an entrance to his new subdivision, Tilson Woods, directly across the street.

For some, seeing the tidier-than-usual lot came as a bit of a shock. It’s rare to hear people disappointed to see roadside junk picked up. But the old bathroom supplies that littered the front of Mr Penovi’s place had become the stuff of legend. A postcard with a picture of the front of Penovi’s was sold at the General Store a few years ago. It read “Welcome to Newtown.”

And don’t let the cleaned up lot fool you. Al says he’s still got plenty of old plumbing parts and gadgets. Just come on inside.