Our Company History
Since 1871, J.W. Graham, Inc. has been painting interiors and exteriors of countless homes, Churches, condominium’s and commercial buildings - from Worcester to Weymouth, Cape Cod to Cape Ann - and all points in between. John William Graham established J. W. Graham Painting Company, Inc. back in 1871. Upon his death in 1905, his two sons, Jim and Al, took the business over. Jim & Al continued to run the business for over 50 years out of their shop at 331 Newbury Street in Boston. They earned a reputation as a quality commercial painting business focusing on mainly federal, state and government contracts such as schools, court houses, bridges, hospitals, etc.
Angelo Vitello was born on June 24 1909 in Riesi Sicily. He came to America in 1913 when he was 4 years old. After a year in New York City his family moved to the North End of Boston where they lived until Angelo was 19. They then moved to Jamaica Plain. Angelo married Ethel Dalton in 1935. When WWII broke out, Angelo took a job with Bethlehem Steel at the Charlestown Navy Yard. It was Angelo's job to repaint the war-torn ships that came in and get them back in fighting shape.
J. W. Graham crew working at R H. Whites Dept. Store Boston circa 1953, left to right John Snell, John Cotter, Frank Bradley, Angelo Vitello, Benny Lipfin, Kevin Kennedy, Dom Kennedy, Jack KennedyAfter the war ended, Angelo went to work for the Graham family, rising through the ranks to become the shop superintendent. Angelo's son Joe started painting for his father while in high school on weekends and summer vacations. After graduating from Jamacia Plain High School, Joe attended Wentworth Institute of Technology where he learned the art of estimating blue prints. Eventully Joe went to work full-time for J. W. Graham. At this point, Angelo was running the daily operations of the company. Jim & Al Graham both passed away in 1960 well into their 80's. Jim Graham's wife sold the business to Angelo "lock, stock & barrel. She said it was in appreciation for all that he had done for the Graham brothers. In 1973, Joe took over running the dailiy operations of the business. It was then when Joe decided to change the direction of the business and started focusing more on residential and Church painting projects and move away from the large state & federal painting projects. Angelo continued to work for the company until his official retirement in 1983 at the age of 73. Angelo continued to work in the office, manning the phones, setting up jobs and occasionally making the rounds with Joe. Angelo passed away in 2001 at the age of 92.
In the mid 1980’s, two of Joe's sons, Shaun and Peter joined the business. At this point, Joe had redefined J. W. Graham as the premier residential/commercial painting company with a specialized focus on interior Church restoration throughout the metro-Boston area. Today, Joe's son's Shaun & Peter are privileged to run a company that has a reputation for providing honest and professional service throughout the city of Boston, North Shore, South Shore, Cape Cod, Southeastern Mass. and Providence Rhode island. Whether your project involves your primary residence, 100+ year old Church or a commercial building, we have the skills to achieve unsurpassed results. We strive to provide our customers with the highest level of craftsmanship and a stress free experience that sets us apart from our competition. Our workmanship is highly noticeable through meticulous preparation, top of the line products, timely performance and “best-in-the-business” employees.
J. W. Graham gets the job done while displaying our company name & logo on our vehicles, lawn signs and clothing, we assure our customers that we take pride and stand behind our work. We guarantee friendliness, neatness and respect from our employees at all times. When choosing J. W. Graham to work on your painting project, you can count on us for being the one you can trust.J. W. Graham, Inc. is a full-service painting company that strives to exceed the expectations of our customers through our commitment to excellence, quality and high standards.We will deliver attractive, practical, functional and durable finishes through the latest solutions designed and applied by the most qualified personnel for high performance and lasting beauty.
We are proud of the fact that a major portion of our new clients are referrals. J. W. Graham has earned its reputation by not only being locally owned and operated, but by ensuring quality and satisfaction. Our goal is to minimize the hassles typically associated with painting by making your painting project an enjoyable experience. There is no substitute or compromise for quality and professionalism.
We carry full insurance coverage including workers' compensation, property damage and public liability. (MA License #119084)
