Petitpren Inc. celebrates 90 years in beer distribution business

Petitpren Inc., a beer distributor based in Clinton Township , is celebrating 90 years in business. From the humble beginnings of a sixcar garage in Mount Clemens the business is currently being run by the fourth generation and has been working out of their current location in Clinton Township since 1980 and began the business following the end of Prohibition.

Their warehouse currently sits on 10 acres of land and in 2022, the business broke ground on a 30,000 square foot addition to the Clinton Township warehouse to help accommodate an growing roster of suppliers and a draft cooler.

Petitpren currently serves retailers in Macomb County and a small portion of Wayne County, including the city of Hamtramck. Brad Petitpren, president of Petitpren Inc., is the fourth generation to head the business.

“My great-grandfather, Frank E. Petitpren, started this company out of a sixcar garage on Broadway on the Clinton River in Mt. Clemens immediately following the end of Prohibition before moving to a location on Market Street,” Petitpren said in a news release. “Thanks to his leadership and that of my grandfather, Stan, and my father, Dean, our company established a mission to provide the highest quality products, a wide variety of choices, and superior service to our customers. It is a legacy I am proud to continue today alongside our hardworking, dedicated employees and my sons, Austin and Alec, who represent the fifth generation of our family in the business.”

Community is also important to Petitpren. The business employs 102 people, including 95 full time and seven part time workers and donates more than $100,000 to local charities and municipalities each year and is a cofounder of SADD Michigan, a student-based organization that fights underage drinking and promotes alcohol education to minors.