McQuade and Bannigan Watertown Commercial 1991

From their website:

Founded in 1907 by Michael T. Bannigan and Patrick J. McQuade, McQuade & Bannigan, Inc. began as a coal and mason supply business in Utica, NY. In 1917 the business was incorporated, at which time Patrick McQuade retired. Michael Bannigan assumed management of the company until his death in 1935, when his son George took over as president.

The Great Depression of the 1930s was a difficult time for all businesses, and the inability of both residential and commercial customers to meet their obligations brought the company to the verge of bankruptcy. George Bannigan, however, negotiated long-term payments with all of the company's creditors and through his perseverance every creditor was paid in full. Upon his return from the Service in WWII, Bernard "Bud" Bannigan joined his brother in the business. It fell to him to develop the contractor's equipment side of the business, long a secondary line to the coal business.

For fourteen years following the war, the coal business gradually diminished as it was replaced by other heating fuels, and the contractor's equipment division grew.

In the early 1960s a major change took place. The main office, warehouse, and coal trestle, located since the founding of the company at 829 Noyes Street, was appropriated by New York State as part of the route of the present Route 12 North-South Arterial. The company relocated to its current site on Stark Street.

In 1969 Tom Sebastian, son-in-law to Bud Bannigan, was the first of the third generation to join the business. Bud succeeded George as President in 1977 and over the next seven years Robert, John and Michael, sons to Bud, returned from other occupations to contribute to the growing enterprise.

A strong Central and Northern NY construction economy provided the fertile ground for further expansion. In 1986 a Watertown branch opened. The first facility was quickly outgrown, and in 1988 a new 15,000 square foot office, showroom and warehouse was constructed in the Bradley Street Commerce Park at the intersection of I-81 and Route 12.

In Utica the Stark Street site had for years provided more than enough room for a small family business, but further growth in the late 1980s mandated expansion. In 1988 a 15,000 square foot addition to the main building began a progression of expansion over the next fourteen years that saw the addition of close to 40,000 square feet of additional office, showroom and warehouse space. The present complex includes six buildings in Utica.

In 2006 the Syracuse branch opened on East Molloy Road. This facility enabled the company to better service its significant customer base in that city, as well as expand its service into the additional markets of Ithaca and Rochester.

In 2012 The Sign Shop is born in the Watertown location and begins offering custom signage to the general public, businesses and municipalities. In 2016 custom apparel is added to their expansive list of services.

With Bud Bannigan retiring from full-time service in 1985, Tom Sebastian became president of the company with Robert, John and Michael Bannigan filling the other officers' positions. By the late 1990s members of the fourth generation (Keith, Kelly, Colleen, Mike, and Tim) began to enter the business, gradually filling key positions to help guide the company's growth into the twenty-first century. In 2010-2011 Mike and Tom retire and Bob and John take on chief executive roles. In 2018 the fourth generation assumes partial ownership and takes on increased management and sales roles.