TINUM PERSONALIT

The Levines are a plumb success — and there s
even a TV documentary in the pipeline!

W

hen independent
filmmaker Jennifer
Katz of New York
City visited her West Bloomfield
pals Dan and Kathryn Levine last
year, it wasn't just their son's first
birthday party that got her atten-
tion.
"When she came down to our
shop [Levine and Sons] and met
my guys," said Dan Levine, "she
asked to ride around with us and
started shooting footage of our
plumbers at work. She even
extended her stay to do more
filming."
Levine, 35, is one of the three
sons who run the business with
their father, Tom of West
Bloomfield, whose late father,
Louis Levine, started the busi-
ness in 1927. Their first shop was

on Davison in Detroit's old Jewish
neighborhood.
The other two sons, Jim, 38,
and Paul, 39, also live in West
Bloomfield.
A year after her visit, Jennifer
called Dan to say that TV people
loved the edited version of her
film of the plumbers, and she
needed to return to shoot more.
"People are really intrigued by
the Levine family," said Katz,
who broke from filming the
plumbers recently to discuss her
project "They're unique. And
they redefine what you think
about plumbers. They're artists
and craftsmen, inspired by their
work."
Several stations expressed
interest in showing the film, and a
production company is shopping it

Filmmaker Jennifer Katz catches

plumbers Dan Levine, Jim Levine

and Les Nelson as they go about

their workday.

to cable stations including HGTV,
TLC and the Discovery Channel,
she said.

Red Carpet Treatment

But seriously, why would peo-
ple like a film about plumbers?
"The people who work for us
are passionate about what they
do," said Dan, who got his
INIBA from Yale University,
then worked in a high-level
New York City accounting
firm before returning home
to run the family enterprise.
"We're trying to clean out
a dirty business," he joked.
When his plumbers arrive,
customers literally get the
red carpet treatment. The
plumbers roll out a red run-
ner when they enter a home.

They also wear booties to protect
the floor or carpeting.
A plumber's visit can be embar-
rassing, going through people's
bedrooms and intimate parts of
the house, he said. But the
plumbers feel their professional-
ism helps make the experience a
comfortable one.

Toni Levine: Runs business with three sons.

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NOVEMBER 200-4 • ...INPLAT1NIJM