WYOMING, Mich. — One era ends and another one begins.
Tommy Brann, owner of Brann's Steakhouse & Grille in Wyoming for 52 years, is stepping away from the industry and handing the keys of the restaurant to his sister, Liz Stegehuis, and her son, Sean.
"I had two options because I was sort of at the end of my career," Tommy said. "I had an option to sell it to a stranger or sell it to my loving sister. I did the right thing and so did my sister."
The Brann's Steakhouse franchise began in 1960, started by John Brann Sr., Tommy and Liz's father.
The Wyoming location opened in 1971, and it's the oldest of the seven locations that exist in Michigan.
Tommy still has a clear memory of that opening day.
"July 5, 1971," Tommy said. "I did 97 dinners that night. I remember that. I had a bar customer buy the whole bar a drink, and the whole restaurant a drink, and I never forgot that."
He added, "I worked from 10 to 2 in the morning, for over 30 years, to open and close my bar. Never missed a Mother's Day. Never missed a New Year's Eve or Christmas Eve because my employees are here. I figured that's what's fair for them is fair for me.”
His hard work clearly didn't go unnoticed.
“We used to come in here for lunch every week, sometimes two, three times a week, back in the 1980s, actually," said Robert Hilliker. "It was interesting watching Tommy because I could see him. He waited on tables, and, you know, you wouldn't even know who he was other than waiting on tables and then doing dishes. He had his apron on and everything, and I really appreciated that and respected it.”
Like his father, Tommy dedicated his life to the restaurant industry, but he realized he needed to step away.
"I got a great wife, and I want spend more time with Sue," he said. "Also, I would walk around the block here at Division and Thurston and walk around the neighborhood just to escape my restaurant. So I knew it was time.”
Now, Liz and Sean, will take over ownership of the Wyoming location.
While there's a changing of the guard, Liz made it clear that just about everything else will stay the same.
"We didn't want to change anything," Liz said. "What Tom has built here, we just are going to carry on his legacy."
FOX 17 asked what their father, John, would say about this moment.
"My dad would be really pleased," Tommy said. "I mean, the restaurant business was his life. My mom died at an early age when I was 12. My dad had raised five kids without leaving the restaurant, and he did a great job of it, and he loved the business. He loved the customers and employees.”
Tommy, who's 71 years old, is also a Wyoming city councilor and a former member of the Michigan House of Representatives.
He said he'll stop by the restaurant every now and then, but he's excited for this new chapter in life.