Our Story
The Brownstone Inn can be found nestled along the winding M-28 Highway just outside of picturesque Au Train, Michigan. Purchased by Darrin Hubbard, Thomas Dolaskie, and Ana Dolaskie, of the Deployed Capital Group; the restaurant, and bar, have a long history of patronage due to its unique fare and historic architecture.
The previous owners, Jeff Van Bremen & Deb Molitor, fell in love with the Brownstone on September 20, 1989, when searching for an investment property. At the time, the building had been closed for over two years; it was another two years before they were able to secure the purchase and begin renovations. In the following years, Jeff and Deb were fortunate to receive insights from visitors about the origins and history of the Brownstone Inn. What they learned was most of the structure was built from local materials.
The building was constructed by Ed Niemi, an Alger County builder, & the stone masonry was done by Bacco Vadnais of Munising. Cyril Bark of Chatham milled the half logs that form the canopies & cabins. The original owner, Clark Haskins, was a retired Detroit police officer & gold medal athlete. We understand that most, if not all, of the materials used in construction were locally harvested or salvaged. The pine paneling came from Chatham, while stone was brought from the beach. Steel beams & metal framed windows supposedly rescued from the demolition of the Ford Motor plant in Munising. The mahogany wainscot has generated much interest and seems most likely to be scrap from Kingsford veneer mill which was said to produce gliders for the Normandy landing during World War II. (A visitor informed us that there are no mahogany trees of that large size left in the world today.) Even the whole log furniture in the dining room is vintage, hand-crafted by Rittenhouse of Cheboygan, Michigan.The best stories, by far, are the personal remembrances people so generously share with us. Fifty years can generate a colorful collection of romance & daring, youth & experience.
Our LOCATION
We’re conveniently located along the shore of Lake Superior on Highway M-28