Luther Brown Sr. knows how to bring people together. He’s made a living doing just that for about 24 years. Mr. Party, as he’s more commonly known, picked up his name from friends growing up in Lansing. As an adult, he decided to start a business to capitalize on his unusual talents.
With an assistant in tow, Brown runs his company, Mr. Party Celebration Enterprises Inc., primarily on the weekends. He can be found at locations ranging from restaurants to bars to private parties, always in his trademark suit, toting the custom cloth flowers he sells.
Despite Michigan’s faltering economy, Brown isn’t worried about money. Rather, he said he’s more concerned with bettering his community, something he has focused his entire business around.
“The Mr. Party name brings a different perspective to people and they can see the positive,” he said.
“They can realize that not only can they help someone else but there’s always somebody reaching out a hand to help them.”
And people do take notice.
“I know he’s human and he has problems like everyone else, but he’s so loving,” said Larina Kent, an acquaintance of Brown.
Brown said he would like to hire more people and to reach audiences beyond Lansing.
Still, at the end of the day, Brown said it’s all about improving Lansing.
“I believe that the importance of community, especially in these times, is that everybody looks out for each other,” he said. “People care and when you care everybody has everything they need.”
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