Our Story

The Building

120 Ionia Ave SW has a sweet history—it was built in 1903 to house the Brooks Candy Company. In 1909, Brooks expanded the building as the business grew, adding what is now the venue space for The Rutledge. Years later, H.H. Cutler, a children’s clothing manufacturer, occupied the space. In 2018, the current owners of The Rutledge, Loren and Susan Hansen, leased the building and began the process of restoring it to its present classic beauty.

The Name

Loren and Susan had their building, but it needed a name. According to Loren, the name had to be strong, sturdy and classic to fit the venue they envisioned. They debated different possibilities but none checked all the boxes…until Susan suggested her grandmother’s maiden name, Rutledge. Her grandmother immigrated to Michigan through Ellis Island from Wales in 1923 at the age of 10. The venue features the ship’s manifest with the Rutledge name on it, a nod to Susan’s grandmother and to the venue that now bears her name.