McGill Plumbing Renews its Community Focus

For 40 years, has been a fixture in Pinellas County, providing a variety of products and services for both commercial and residential clients throughout the area. 

During this period, there has been one common denominator at McGill: the Wood family. 

From original partner Al, to longtime assistant general manager Scott, to recently appointed vice president and general manager Shane, the Woods have always had a hand in guiding the company. 

Now, following a brief time where a Wood wasn’t in command, the family is ready to take the company back to its roots. 

From Corner Lot to Cornerstone 

Al Wood became a partner at the shop on the northwest corner of Missouri Avenue and West Bay Drive shortly after founder John McGill moved his business from Ohio to Largo in 1972. 

Almost immediately, Wood helped turn what was a successful little company into a major power in the community, thanks to his forward thinking and penchant for giving back. 

By obtaining large commercial contracts, Wood brought a steady stream of new revenue into the business; he then used a portion of the profits to help upgrade not just the shop, but the area around it. 

“My grandfather bought and obtained the property on the corner of Missouri and West Bay, and he brokered the deal that brought to the corner,” Shane Wood says. “He was instrumental in cleaning up that corner, because he felt it would be good for the community.” 

The improvements included a new building for McGill, complete with a couple of iconic elements that help the shop stand out: a towering, lighted faucet and a mammoth flagpole. 

“The faucet is his brainchild,” Wood says of his grandfather’s eye-catching idea. “He envisioned it, he wanted it, and he got it done.” 

“He also moved the flagpole from the back of the lot to the front," he says. "He thought it would bring attention to the shop and the corner, and he was right.” 

'It’s Our Job to Give Back'

When the commercial building boom began to taper off, Al Wood refocused the company's direction to concentrate on residential work, and he used a simple philosophy to continue the company’s success: The customer is always right. 

Soon McGill was providing full plumbing and water treatment services for residents all over Pinellas County. But he wasn’t satisfied with just making money and gaining customers.

“We’ve always done the most we can possibly do when it comes to giving back to the community,” explains Wood, who semi-retired 10 years ago. “I’ve put thousands and thousands of dollars into the , the library, and I’ve always given to thnigs like the Boys Club and the Lions Club.” 

“I do it because business has been good to me, the people of Largo and Pinellas County have been good to me," he said. "I think it’s our job to give back.” 

A Family Affair

After Wood stepped back from the day-today operations about a decade ago, McGill was run by a couple of longtime employees, and the company slowly strayed from its core values. 

But after Shane Wood got his master plumber’s license and learned everything there was to learn about the business, his grandfather named him vice president and general manager in January.

Humbled and grateful for the opportunity, Wood promises to get the company back on course when it comes to playing a major role in the community. 

“I put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into the company, and I never knew if I was going to have a say in the matter,” he says from his new office. “But I knew it was my opportunity to bring the company back to its roots.” 

From simple things like participating in chocolate contests and supporting local Little League teams to revitalizing the staff and redesigning the company vans, Wood is quickly repositioning McGill as a leader in the community once again. 

“I’m trying to get back to what made us a staple in Largo — involvement in the community, great customer service and a fair price," Wood says. "It’s very important for me to get the company back on course.”

For his part, the elder Wood is confident his grandson is taking the company in the right direction.

“I’m so proud of Shane and what he’s done since he took over," Al Wood says. "He’s done a phenomenal job. I have no doubt he’s going to be a leader in the community for a long time.” 

McGill Plumbing

Address: 111 Missouri Ave. N

Phone: 727-585-2052