In the heart of the Flint Hills, a cornerstone of Manhattan has stood tall for a century. Standard Plumbing Heating & Air began its journey 100 years ago at a time when the United States was amid an era of rapid industrialization. Founded by Harry Berger, the company began as a modest plumbing and heating service provider. His commitment to quality workmanship quickly gained traction throughout Manhattan, playing an early pivotal role in the city you see today.
In 1923, Manhattan exuded a quaint, close-knit charm. With a population sitting a little below 10,000 people, it was a small town of modest proportions. The vibrant agricultural industry permeated daily life, and the Kansas State Agricultural College (now Kansas State University) lent an intellectual air. Horses and buggies still shared the road with early automobiles, and when Berger founded Standard Plumbing, he executed his services by implementing the use of a newer piece of technology at the time: the bicycle.
Berger would first ride his bicycle to a new home build to gain measurements of the project. He would then ride back downtown to his workshop at 315 Humboldt Street, near where the Manhattan Town Center currently sits. There, he would measure, cut, and thread galvanized pipe into two-foot lengths. Once ready, he put the custom-tailored pipes, fittings, and tools into a basket on the bike, and would peddle back to the work site for installation.
Just a few years in business, an opportunity of historic proportions would come along in 1925: the installation of the plumbing of the brand-new Wareham Hotel. This six-story, 150-room hotel took nearly two years to complete and would serve as the crown jewel of downtown Manhattan. It would also solidify Standard Plumbing’s title as Manhattan’s premiere plumbing outfitter.
With business booming, Berger often frequented Hugos Hardware on Poyntz Avenue for fittings, tools, and other supplies to complete projects. There, he befriended one of the store’s employees named Paul Anderson. After building a relationship with Anderson, Berger eventually convinced Anderson to come work for him in the late 1940s.
One of Anderson’s earliest tasks at the company was handling furnace duty. Since Manhattan didn’t have natural gas infrastructure at that time, coal was used as the primary fuel source for furnaces. He had a very specific route where he would go to homes in the downtown area to stoke coal. He would shovel and stoke coal on his way to work in the morning, and when the workday was done, he would go back on the route, and repeat it in the evening. Eventually natural gas found its way into Manhattan, as did air conditioning.
Knowing that they needed to add this to the business, Berger paid for Anderson to take a train to go to Marshalltown, Iowa to the Lennox Industries factory to learn how to work on air conditioning. Anderson would go on to bring this knowledge back with him to Manhattan, adding another service offered by Standard Plumbing.
As he was looking to retire, Berger felt that it was a natural fit for Anderson to take over. Anderson would buy the company and go on to make Standard Plumbing Heating & Air a family business.
Joined by his wife Mildred, they took the reins, and continued to grow the business and the company’s customer base. Mildred was very involved; she would soon decide to start selling bathroom accessories in the shop’s front display area. It became so successful, Paul told her she needed to find her own business, which she would do, founding The Bath Shop at 3rd & Poyntz Avenues.
Paul’s two sons, Dale & Rick, eventually joined the company, becoming Master Plumbers themselves, and taking over ownership in 1977 when Paul & Mildred retired. The brothers grew the company together through the eighties, before Rick took over sole ownership from Dale in the early 1990’s. Rick and his wife, Judy, then ran the business together for nearly twenty years. Rick managed the sales & service side, while Judy was the office manager. Before they retired in 2007, they sold the business to employees Clark Flynn & John Shortsleeves, who are still the current owners of the business at 609 Pecan Circle today.
“I’m proud of the fact that it’s still going, and has a good reputation,” says Paul. “Reputation was everything to me. I hope it keeps going. That would be a neat thing to see it continue for another hundred years.”
Today, Standard Plumbing Heating & Air stands as a living testament to the power of vision, adaptability, and community spirit. The company's legacy is woven into the fabric of the Manhattan area, and its contributions extend far beyond the services it provides. “I just love helping our customers. That's why I get up and go to work every day,” says Shortsleeves. “I also really enjoy watching our technicians grow as people in addition to doing their great work. It’s thrilling to watch them become solid members of society who put down their roots in Manhattan.”
The 100-year journey of Standard Plumbing Heating & Air is a story of resilience, innovation, and community building. From its humble beginnings in the 1920s to its current position as a technological leader, the company's evolution mirrors the growth of Manhattan, Kansas itself.
Looking ahead, Standard Plumbing is poised for the challenges of a rapidly changing world. With a strong focus on efficiency, innovation, sustainability, and customer service, the company is well-positioned to continue its tradition of excellence for generations to come.
“I don't know if I'll be around another a hundred years,” says Shortsleeves. “But I’m certain this company will still be.”
