A History in the Making

Michael Shannon is a 5th generation Kansas City Native of Irish descent – his great-great grandfather Michael Joseph Shannon, and great-great Grandmother Ellen Harte-Shannon, came to America from Ireland in 1853. Michael Joseph labored on the expanding Transcontinental Railroad and eventually settled in Kansas City by 1890. The family has been in Kansas City ever since. Mike’s great-grandfather, Oliver Shannon, owned a business in KC known as Shannon Storage & Moving Company. His rich Irish-American heritage is the cornerstone of the brands and stories that make up the Restless Spirits family of spirits. Mike is a long-time brand and product development expert – having worked with well-known brands including Bic, Newell Rubbermaid, H&R Block, and Avery-Dennison. He has the international consulting experience and has facilitated the import of numerous products into the US market from the UK and Ireland.

Benay Shannon is a science teacher turned distiller. She is the Co-Founder, Co-Owner, and Master Distiller at Restless Spirits Distilling Company. Benay is mostly self-taught but has a passion for research and perfection. She is dedicated to crafting spirits that she enjoys tasting and that she is proud to share. Her skills have earned numerous awards, including Missouri Distillery of the Year every year since Restless Spirits opened in 2016.

John is a second-generation small business owner in the revenue cycle management industry. John spent his career wearing many different hats in the family business with his emphasis being in sales and marketing. John and Mike met in their teens working retail which led to a lifelong friendship. While both Mike and John's career paths took different directions, their bond of friendship and love of good Irish whiskey lead them to explore, eventually founding the Restless Spirits Distilling Company alongside Mike's wife, Benay.