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1930’s

Prohibition ended in 1933 when President Roosevelt signed the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, ending “The Great Experiment”. In the early days, beer distribution was a local system where trucks picked up product from the brewery and delivered it fresh daily to the local retailers. Joseph A. Quasarano, an Italian immigrant who had settled on Detroit’s east side, obtained the second wholesaler license issued in the State of Michigan and “East Town” Distributors was born. He bought a 1000 square foot warehouse and distributed his first brands, Pearl Foam and E&B.

The beer industry grew quickly and Eastown grew along with it. National brands developed with advances in transportation and technology. With the acquisition of Pabst Blue Ribbon in 1939, Eastown relocated to a 6000 square foot facility on Manning and Gratiot to handle the increased warehousing demand.

1940’s and ‘50’s

In 1941 the second generation entered the family business led by Joseph R. Quasarano and the company name was changed to the presently familiar “Eastown Distributors”. In 1955, Eastown obtained the rights to sell the increasingly popular brands produced by Carling, including their flagship brand, Carling Black Label. The Manning warehouse was not sufficient to house the increased volume and Eastown relocated once again to a newer, larger facility on Helen Street near Van Dyke and McNichols. This 10,000 square foot location would be home to Eastown for 34 years.

1960’s and ‘70’s

Expansion continued in these two decades. A third generation entered the business and brothers James R. Quasarano and John G. Quasarano led the company through these times of growth. Eastown acquired the rights to products brewed by The Hamms Brewing Company, The Schlitz Brewing Company and The Miller Brewing Company. An additional 32,000 square feet of warehouse space was added to the Helen Street warehouse to support these newly acquired brands led by America’s first light beer, Miller Lite.

In 1977 Eastown sold over 1,000,000 cases for the first time in their history. That year Eastown debuted the first refrigerated draft truck on the streets of the Motor City. Once a standard in the industry, the refrigerated trailer provided fresh, cold draft beer to Eastown’s bars and restaurants. Frustrated with the two-person draft delivery system that the refrigerated trucks required, Joseph R. designed and patented the Hackney “On Tap” Keg Dispenser allowing a one-person delivery of draft product in a safer, more efficient manner. The units were sold nationally and were used by distributors in many parts of the country.

1980’s

Consolidation in the industry began in the 1980’s and Eastown was ready to grow again. Joseph’s youngest son Paul J. Quasarano, current President, entered the business in 1984. In 1985, the company added to its sales staff and improved its retail inventory control by converting to a pre-sell sales system. At the end of the decade in 1989, Eastown purchased neighboring DBD, Inc. and relocated to the current location at 14400 Oakland Ave. in Highland Park, MI. The new facility had nearly 110,000 square feet of warehouse and office space as well as a separate building housing an on-site recycle operation. Focusing on a growing portfolio anchored by Miller Brewing Company products and leading imports Corona and Heineken, Eastown continued to grow and lead the industry in innovation and selling systems.

1990’s

Volume continued to grow through the ‘90’s and Eastown delivered and merchandised over 3,000,000 cases in 1991. A fourth generation of Quasaranos entered the business in 1997. Jim’s son Jeffrey M. Quasarano, along with brother Kevin J. Quasarano and John’s son John J. Quasarano re-evaluated a then aging computer system. The trio assisted in the implementation of a new information system to carry the company into the 21st Century.

Another consolidation opportunity presented itself in 1998 and Eastown purchased a portion of another neighboring distributor, Action Distributing. The additional 1,800,000 cases presented new challenges for the company and an additional 10,000 square feet of warehouse space was added bringing the total to 120,000 square feet.

21st Century

In 2006, Miller Brewing Company honored Joseph R. Quasarano with its Miller Legend Award, recognizing him for his long-term commitment to their brands and the industry. Shortly after, Joe lost his battle with cancer but his legacy lives on. His wife Rosemary watched two of her sons and two grandsons manage a fourth-generation family business with over 100 dedicated employees and 1700 customers.

In 2010 a Specialty Beer Division was created to focus more closely on Eastown’s craft beer and specialty import portfolio. Included in this division were four local breweries within 10 miles of Eastown’s facility. Similar to the Eastown of the 1930’s, product was picked up from the local brewery and delivered fresh to their retailers. With customer service and product quality as their top priority, Eastown continued to stay ahead of the industry. Sometimes the more things change, the more they stay the same.

In January 2012, Eastown consolidated the MillerCoors and Heineken USA portfolios with the purchase of brands from Tri-County Beverage. The addition of brands like Coors Light, Blue Moon, Dos Equis and Grolsch put Eastown over a 40% market share for the first time. The additional volume added 15% more volume and 17% more profitability into the system. Shortly after the acquisition, Jim Quasarano stepped down as President and Paul Quasarano became the company’s 4th President since its formation in 1933, continuing the family legacy of company leadership. Jim has since retired, leaving Paul and Jeffrey as third and fourth generation owners of both Eastown, the beer company and PJQ, Inc., the recycling company that recycles of over 7500 tons of Eastown’s scrap paper, glass, aluminum, and plastic annually.

In 2023, Eastown will celebrate its 90th anniversary. Eastown remains committed to its Mission Statement to profitably grow market share; provide well-paying jobs; invest in our people to become our customer’s best vendor/consultant; foster a diverse and inclusive work environment; adhere to the highest standards of performance and integrity; and conserve natural resources and recycle materials.

Three-Tier System Explanation