Stronger Together: How the Churchill Family Built a Business Legacy in Spooner, Wisconsin

Be careful where you drink your coffee—you might just find yourself running a family business, or three. 

While many see retirement as a time to relax, the Churchill family embraced it as an opportunity for a new adventure. What began as a mother-daughter chat on the dock over coffee has grown into a thriving collection of businesses in Spooner, Wisconsin: Dock Coffee, Round Man Brewing Co., and, most recently, Strongman Smokehouse. 

Originally from Rochester, Minnesota, Sue and Jeff Churchill first visited Spooner in the 1980s. After years of vacationing in the area, they decided to relocate to the town of 2,500 people and build their businesses. Today, every family member—including their spouses—contributes their diverse skills in finance, marketing, design, brewing, management, and culinary expertise.

From One to Many 

Dock Coffee, the first of the Churchills' ventures, was born from a retirement dream shared by Sue and her daughter, Xan. With no prior experience in the coffee business—Sue had spent 30 years in transfusion medicine and Xan had a background in tourism—the duo opened the doors in 2015,serving drip coffee and ice cream.  

"At first, it was Mom and me,” recalled Xan. “Dad was more of a silent partner. But as the coffee shop grew, my younger brother Spencer came up to work in the kitchen during his summers off from school, and then older brother Blain moved back from California to help." 

As Dock Coffee flourished, the Churchills noticed something: customers would often ask for dining recommendations.  

"People would come in and say, 'Where should we eat?' We were sending them out of town," said Spencer, Sue and Jeff’s youngest child. "We identified an opportunity to keep them here, so we started brainstorming." 

This led to the creation of Round Man Brewery, named affectionately after the patriarch of the family. The brewery became a natural extension of their coffee business, further cementing the family’s presence in downtown Spooner. In spring 2024, the Churchills once again expanded their offerings with the addition of Strongman Smokehouse in nearby Trego, Wisconsin.  

"The restaurant game is tough. It's not for the faint of heart,” said Spencer, who is also executive chef of both Round Man Brewing and Strongman Smokehouse. “If we didn't have our family, it would be considerably more difficult if even possible.”

A Trusted Partner for Growth

As their businesses grew, the Churchills sought support from outside the family to help achieve their goals. They turned to the Entrepreneur Fund (EFund) to finance a “brewhouse” on the same property as the smokehouse, increasing their brewing capacity and distribution.  

“They created a destination in an area that was probably going to go away,” said Tom Clark, EFund business loan officer. “It would have grown weeds, and you’d drive by and say, ‘That's what that used to be,” and now they've created an environment that is fresh and exciting. Our role and our lending responsibility was to help get that project to the finish line.” 

While the small business loan led to the completion of the brewhouse build, Clark’s support didn’t end there. A resident of Spooner and a small business owner himself, Clark assisted the Churchills with advising and “for lack of a better word, a shoulder to cry on.” 

“The big thing with Tom is we trust him,” said Spencer. "We can be vulnerable with him and there is no judgement. The Entrepreneur Fund, without question, allowed us to finish that project, and through that, Tom's involvement was irreplaceable.” 

In fall of 2024 the Churchills opened the brewhouse but not before eldest son Blain recited his vows to Ashley. Half of the wedding guestlist was people from the community that are now family, said Blain. 

A Lasting Impact

The Churchills’ dedication to the town of Spooner goes far beyond their businesses. As active members of the community — serving onboards, coaching sports, hosting events—, they are committed to making a positive impact locally and regionally. Their efforts were recognized in October 2024, when they received an EFund Distinction Award for fostering a vibrant workplace culture and setting a high standard for jobs in the hospitality industry by offering employee benefits and creating an environment where staff feel valued.

“There are a lot of people out there who just like to serve tables,” said Spencer. “They like cooking, they like bartending, but they feel like they have to move on from those kinds of positions because they don’t get taken seriously. We aim to flip that script by offering real careers to real people in our community.” 

For Jeff and Sue Churchill, running the family business is about more than their own success. It’s about supporting their nearly 100 employees, serving their community, and providing exceptional experiences for their customers. 

“It’s a deeper responsibility than a lot of people realize,” Jeff said, reflecting on the demands of entrepreneurship. 

Sue agreed, adding, “We have a responsibility to help shape good employees and good people that will want to carry on and have a strong work ethic in the community, wherever they may go.”

And while there are challenges that come with running a business alongside your spouse, three children, their spouses, and even the occasional grandchild washing dishes, Sue says she wouldn't have it any other way. 

"It’s not just about us," she said. "It’s about building something for them. There might be an exit plan for me, but this is a legacy for them."