Watertown Bath and Kitchen Showroom Stays in the Family, But Getting a New Look

Monique's Bath Showroom has been in Michael Battista’s family for more than three decades, but just recently he took over as president of the bathroom and kitchen showroom.

Battista’s father Richard started Monique’s in 1980 with his brothers Robert and Vinny. By the late 1980s the brothers sold out.

Battista said he almost took over Monique’s 10 years ago, but his father ran in from Florida. He finally took over when his father could no longer run it.

“My father got very sick and was in hospital for five or six months (in 2012),” Battista said. “I ended up stepping in and running it along with my other business.”

Since then, Battista has sold his construction business, R&R Battista Services Inc., and now runs Monique’s with the help of his sister Michele, who does the accounting, and his uncle Vinny, who is the senior salesman, and five sales people and workers.

One thing Monique’s provides its customer is help wading through the many available fixtures and items, and wading through the regulations.

“Homeowners come in here have no idea what they are up against, and where to start,” Battista said. “We help them through the process.”

The store provides a lot of real world knowledge for its customers, Battista said.

“Uncle Vinny is a master plumber, and one of the sales people – Tom Parker ran my remodeling department with my construction business,” Battista said.

Walking around the showroom at Monique’s, and you will see the wide variety of faucets, showers, sinks and much more. Bathrooms have more and more features, from invisible drains that look like tiles, to televisions on the bathroom mirror.

All the items meet the state codes, Battista said.

“Massachusetts is very strict. You cannot install a device unless it has been approved by the Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters,” Battista said.

Battista has heard of people importing a $10,000 bathtub, installed it and when the inspector came it didn’t pass muster.

“The inspector says ‘Where is the approval?’ If they can’t find it they are going to say ‘it is not approved, get it out of here.’”

Many customers come back, Battista said, both from homeowners and contractors.

New Look for Monique’s

While his father kept Monique’s going, he did not have the focus needed in later years, Battista said.

“This business is a good business,” Battista said. “My father was not focused on sustaining it and growth. My father always wanted to be involved it in but I was always working on my own business.”

Battista is now in the process of updating the showroom to feature the latest products and so it makes more sense – such as having all the faucets in one area rather than laying it out by brand.

The showroom will be bigger, too. A portion of the warehouse will be turned into a place for customers see how a whole bathroom or kichen can come together. There will be a few of these displays.

Monique’s is just one of the businesses in Watertown – mostly along Arsenal Street and North Beacon Street – catering to home decorating. Battista said he works with other stores in the area.

“It is not a design center, but it is close to it,” Battista said. “We will send people to tile places in the area.”

Business seems to be picking up for these types of stores, Battista said.

“It is a good time. Money is freeing up and people are starting to remodel what they have, or if they are buying and flipping this is what people expect,” Battista said looking over the showroom at Monique’s.