BENDER is a fourth-generation family owned and operated company, born and raised in Connecticut.

Keeping up with the heartbeat of our state, BENDER has evolved into a retail purveyor of attainable luxury in decorative plumbing, kitchen and bath cabinetry, tile and stone. To support our local tradesmen, we also supply a wide range of HVAC and plumbing materials. In our showrooms, we marry function, budget and design to provide the right solution for each customer. We begin with one central question: Why are you remodeling your space or building a new home? The answer to this question guides our process so that the products and design fit the needs of each individual using the space, resulting in homes people love to live in.

History

Timeline

1921

Sam Lewin, a maternal great-grandfather of BENDER’s current owner, David Bender, founded New Haven Plumbing Supply with two partners. A grandson and two great-grandsons of one of the partners, Ike Liveten, are also BENDER team members today.

1938

In the late ‘30s, the partnership dissolved, and Sam started Lewin and Sons in West Haven. Among its employees were Sam’s daughter Alice and Jack Bender.

1942

Alice Lewin and Jack Bender married in 1942. Returning after service in World War II, Jack began selling surplus war materials. In 1946 the business, Bender Plumbing Supply, established a physical location at 88 Dixwell Avenue in New Haven.

1950

At one time or another, all of the Bender children worked at the company. Jack instituted the policy that family members start out in the warehouse and work their way up. David maintains this rule today. (Pictured clockwise from top left: Judy, Norman, Lois and David)

1965

Displaced (along with thousands of other businesses and residents) by Mayor Richard Lee’s massive urban redevelopment program, Bender Plumbing Supply moved to 550 Grand Avenue.

1977

David opened the company’s second location in Waterbury.

1983

As design became more important to homeowners, the practice of leaving fixture decisions to plumbers disappeared. To accommodate customers who wanted to shop for themselves, showrooms opened in New Haven and Waterbury that featured a huge selection of Kohler products.

2003

A showroom and parts counter opened in Bridgeport. The company’s offerings expanded to include kitchen cabinetry and stone.

2005

The Hartford showroom and parts counter opened. HVAC supplies were added to the wholesale lineup as area builders and contractors expressed their need for reliable heating and cooling materials.

2011

A counter opened in Stamford, supplying plumbing and HVAC products to Fairfield County. Another counter and a showroom open in the former Pacific Baths space in Norwalk.

2015

The New Haven parts counter moved across the street to a much larger facility. Plans for a multi- level 20,000-square-foot showroom were underway. The company’s name also got a makeover that reflected the evolution of the business: Bender Plumbing Supply officially became BENDER.

2015

The finishing touches were applied to the new 13,000-square-foot multi-level facility in Norwalk that features lighting, decorative plumbing, tile and stone.

2019

The Waterbury, Hartford and Norwalk showrooms are renovated and add tile and lighting products. Their innovative interactive displays earn BENDER the National Kitchen and Bath Association Award for Most Innovative Showroom, as well as the company’s fifth Home Building Industry (HOBI) Award.

2020

Max Bender is named CEO of BENDER. In the family tradition, he learned the business from the ground up, starting as a warehouse associate and driver before moving into sales and then becoming a Branch Manager.

Careers

Life is short. Do the work you love at a company you will love to work for! Apply today to be a part of a highly respected and growing company that believes the work we do matters.

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