Royal Oak small business owner honored with SBAM’s Spirit of Entrepreneurship award

Patti Eisenbraun honored at SBAM Leadership Council Summit

LANSING, MI – The Small Business Association of Michigan recently honored Royal Oak small business owner Patti Eisenbraun with its 2022 Spirit of Entrepreneurship award.

Eisenbraun is the owner of the Brown Iron Brewhouse, which has locations in Washington Township and Royal Oak. Brown Iron Brewhouse’s Royal Oak location opened on March 1, 2020, just before the pandemic began. Despite being located at one of the busiest locations in Oakland County and enjoying a prosperous first week, sales plunged dramatically due to COVID-19 restrictions. In order to survive, the full-service restaurant changed its business model to include family pack meals, selling essential products as produce, as well as delivery service. Despite the struggles, the business continues to grow and thrive.

“Patti Eisenbraun and the Brown Iron Brewhouse team continue to show the amazing things that can happen when entrepreneurs put their minds to something,” said SBAM President and CEO Brian Calley. “Despite the impossible timing and repeated setbacks caused by the pandemic, they were able to continually pivot their business to survive and be successful.”

Since pandemic closures ended, Brown Iron Brewhouse has had increasing revenues week after week.

The Rick Snyder Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award is named in honor of former Governor Rick Snyder in recognition of his work reinventing Michigan. The award-winning small business must have fewer than 500 employees, be headquartered in Michigan, and have a turnaround story that allowed it to achieve substantial growth.

The award was presented at SBAM’s recent annual Leadership Council Summit on Mackinac Island. The award was presented by former Governor Rick Snyder and SBAM President and CEO Brian Calley.