Our History

1885 - Gennaro Fabiano opened a 'cantina' in San Ippolito, Italy. He sold fruit, vegetables and his own homemade wine. The cantina is still being operated by distant relatives.

1899 - Immigrating to the United States from Southern, Italy, Gennaro Fabiano works on the railroad in St. Louis, Missouri to earn money to bring his family to America.

1911 - Gennaro brings his wife Maria, and their family to the United States through Ellis Island.  They settled in Eaton Rapids, Michigan, and open a Fruit Market.

1915 - The Fabiano family moves to Lansing, Michigan where they open a new store.

1919 - The Fabiano family relocates again, this time the family business moves to Mount Pleasant, Michigan.  Gennaro and his two sons, Frank A. and Joseph R., established the Fabiano Fruit Market as a retail and wholesale store. 

1923 - Fabiano Brothers acquires the rights to distribute Stroh Near Beer in it's two county territory.

1930 - Gennaro (George) Fabiano dies, leaving Frank and Joseph to carry on the business.

1933 - Prohibition is repealed and the company begins selling regular beer.

1934 - Fabiano Brothers moves to a warehouse on Franklin Street and begins it's long partnership with Anheuser-Busch.

1965 - Fire destroys the Franklin Street warehouse.  New storage and administrative facilities are built at 1213 and 1219 North Mission Street in Mount Pleasant.

1969 - Fabiano Brothers becomes incorporated;  Frank A. Fabiano, Sr. is elected President and Joseph R. Fabiano, Vice President.

1977 - Frank A. Fabiano, Sr. dies.  James C. Fabiano, Joseph’s son, is appointed president and Joseph becomes chairman.  In a move that reflects the industry trend toward consolidation, the company acquires Johnston Sales, a Mount Pleasant wholesaler.

1985 -  Fabiano Brothers founds Fabiano Foods, a snack food company supplying Eagle Snacks and other brands to an eight county area.  The company also purchases Krumrei Beverage of Grayling.

1986 - Central State Distributors of Mount Pleasant is acquired.

1991 - A fourth wholesalership, Max R. H. Treu of Saginaw, is purchased. All of the associates were retained and service continues to be provided from the Saginaw facility. 

1993- Joseph R. Fabiano dies.  James C. Fabiano, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fabiano Brothers, Inc. and his sons, James C. II and Joseph R. II, continue to carry on the family business tradition.

1994 - Fabiano Brothers, Inc. acquires beverage lines and other assets of Cellars Beverage, Inc. of Bay City - one of the largest wine and new age beverage distributors in the Tri-City area.

1997 - Trans-Con is formed when the state of Michigan privatizes the distribution of spirit beverages.  Fabiano Brothers, Inc. assumes responsibility of marketing and delivery of spirits in 55 of the 83 counties in Michigan.

1999 - Fabiano Brothers, Inc. acquires the Petoskey Beverage Company and Primo Vin. These two entities combined to create our Petoskey division, which distributes beer and wine to several counties, including Otsego, Emmet, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Mackinaw Island. All of the associates were retained from each company and service continues to be provided from the Petoskey Beverage facility.

2005 - Fabiano Brothers, Inc. acquires C. Riffel & Sons of Saginaw

2007 - Fabiano Brothers, Inc. sells and delivers beer, wine and spirits to retail licensees throughout Central, Eastern, and Northern Michigan. The corporate offices and main warehouses are located in Mount Pleasant. However, there are distribution centers located in both Saginaw and Petoskey. Today, Fabiano Brothers, Inc. employs several hundred associates at it's three locations. 

2008 - Fabiano Brothers, Inc. begins construction on a new warehouse and office facility.

2009 - Fabiano Brothers, Inc. combines operations in Bay City from the previous facilities in Mt. Pleasant and Saginaw.

2010 - Fabiano Brothers, Inc. celebrates 125th anniversary and grand opening of Bay City location.

2010 - Fabiano Brothers, Inc. acquires Chippewa Beverage in Mount Pleasant, Muehlenbeck in Saginaw, and Tom Ryan Distributing in Flint.

2012 - A nearly 100,000 square foot addition was opened at the Bay City location. This expansion included beer storage space, additional receiving area, and a larger recycling center.

2012 - Fabiano Brothers, Inc. acquires Baer's Beverage in Wausau, Wisconsin.

2015 - Fabiano Brothers, Inc. acquires Modern Beverage in Holland Michigan. 

2017 - Fabiano Brothers, Inc. acquires Great Lakes Beverage of Detroit with over 1,200 accounts.  Distributing over 900 different products to notable venues like Ford Field, Little Caesars Arena, The Fillmore and the three major Detroit casinos.

2017 - Fabiano Brothers, Inc. acquires Hubert Distributors of Pontiac, Michigan.

2023 - The National Beer Wholesalers Association Announces James C Fabiano II as Chairman.