Pinquist Tool & Die, 57 Meserole Ave., Brooklyn, NY, 2001  

Pinquist Tool & Die Co., Inc. were located here at 57 Meserole Ave., Brooklyn, from 1981 through at least 2001. In 2016 they were found at 451 Sunrise Highway, Lynbrook, NY. In 2018 their website locates them at 135 Mill Street, Rome, NY 13440, with the information "Since 1945" and "With over 75 years of experience spanning 3 generations in the metal stamping and fabrication industry, the Pinquist family is second to none in producing the finest quality metal products." There is also a PO Box in Lynbrook, NY.

Pinquist Tool & Die seems to have started as Pinquist-Willis Products Inc., on Baxter St. in Manhattan. This ad for Pinquist-Willis appeared in the New York Times, 11 August 1946. A slightly later ad for Pinquist-Willis read, "Open time avail in completely equipped die-stamping and assembly shop; can do complete job from design to shipping packaged product; compound dies a specialty. Pinquist-Willis Products, Inc. 124 Baxter St. CAnal 6-1977-8" In the Times, 10 November 1947, the company name is Pinquist Tool & Die.

The 1949 New York telephone directory listed Pinquist Tool and Die at 124 Baxter St., Manhattan. Then in 1961 they moved to 260 Wallabout St., Brooklyn, where they stayed until moving to Meserole Ave. in 1981. This ad from 1965 gives the telephone number as EV 8-8481, which was their number at 260 Wallabout St. This ad from 1982 gives the telephone number as 389-3900, which was their number at 57 Meserole Ave.

The following appeared in Crain's New York Business, vol. 12, issue 22, 27 May 1996, pg. 17, "CANDACE OSHINSKY feels New York City doesn't care enough about her Pinquist Tool & Die Co. The family-owned company has stayed in New York for 50 years, moving from Canal Street to Greenpoint, Brooklyn, while hundreds of other companies were moving out. In return, Pinquist is regularly ticketed for parking vehicles in its own driveway. It got lost in paperwork trying to qualify for productivity training and most recently, saw the city award a contract it sought to an importer of Chinese hardware. 'I feel like the city wasted my time on the contract,' says Ms. Oshinsky, who runs the 28-employee company with her brother, Richard Pinquist."

At a later date the New York Daily News, 25 January 2000, pg. 4, reported some success dealing with government awards, "Greenpoint Pinquist Tool and Die Co. on Meserole Ave. was one of five area manufacturing firms awarded business improvement grants from the Empire State Development Corp. The corporation last week approved a $10,000 grant for the metalworking company, which produces specialized display hardware and building products. ..."

The founder of Pinquist Tool & Die was Alex Pinquist (c1903-1997). He appeared in the 1940 U. S. Census as Alex Pinquist, age 40, born New York, machinist / radio, living on Belmont Ave., Brooklyn. The current (2018) owners are his daughter Candace and his son Richard.

When Alex Pinquist died in 1997, an obituary notice appeared in the New York Times, 1 July 1997, reading, "Pinquist - Alex. Beloved husband of Ruth, loving father of Candace, Richard and Ronnie, cherished grandfather of Jeremy, Joshua and Daniel, dear brother of Shirley and Frieda. Services 'Boulevard Riverside,' 1450 Broadway, Hewlett, L.I., 10:15 AM, Wednesday."

Copyright © 2018 Walter Grutchfield