Issue link: http://southshoremagazine.uberflip.com/i/1547562
22 Owned and operated by the Mazzini family, Aspinwall Plumbing & Heating has provided top-notch plumbing, heating and cooling services to customers since 1972. Lou Mazzini, along with his two sons, Michael and Christopher, spent five decades building and growing their family business upon a foundation of trust, resulting in long-standing customers–some spanning family generations–and a loyal staff who are the backbone of the company. What began as a plumbing company has since expanded into multiple divisions, with Lou's sons carrying the torch into a new era. Today, his son, Mike Mazzini, runs The Fireplace Store in Marshfield, specializing in gas inserts, wood stoves, custom doors and outdoor kitchens, while his brother, Chris, continues to lead the plumbing and HVAC side of the family enterprise. The pivot to the fireplace side of the business started slowly more than two decades ago. "We started doing gas fireplaces around 2002 out of our Quincy location," recalls Mike. He was skeptical at first, but his father encouraged the move. The first year was lean with a single product line, but soon the momentum followed. "We ended up with about 12 to 15 different lines," explains Mike. "We started getting pretty big, pretty quick." Over time, the team refined what they carried. "We narrowed it down and kind of weeded out the ones that we didn't like, and we ended up going with the Heat & Glo line, and we've been with them ever since." Today, The Fireplace Store focuses on real-world needs and reliable performance, offering top of the line gas, electric and wood fireplaces, and specializing in converting existing masonry fireplaces to efficient, easy-to-use gas inserts. As we head into the cooler months here in New England, now is a great time to consider adding a gas fireplace, log set or wood-burning stove to your home. Gas inserts are a very popular and efficient way to add warmth and glow to your home or business. "Being in the New England area, most of the houses are older, and most of the houses have fireplaces in them." Homeowners love the look of a fire, but not the hassle that surrounds them in terms of the cleanup. "The idea of a gas insert is appealing because it's very easy to use and there's no mess," he explains. Gas inserts fit directly inside an existing fireplace opening, making it the perfect fit for homeowners who want to make use of the space and choose their own design for the front. They are extremely useful and come with a factory installed blower to not only produce heat, but to also push it out into the room. Depending on the strength of your fireplace, you could heat up a single room or even the entire to Your Home this Season Add Warmth and W r i t t e n b y Z o e P i r n i e a n d R o b i n C a r n e y S E 2014 S E 2014