John Brunswick opened a woodworking shop in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1845. In the same year, he built his first billiard table, which would prove to be a lucrative move.

Brunswick expanded his business in 1848 by sending his half-brothers to Chicago to open a sales office and factory. As the company grew, sales offices were opened in New Orleans and St. Louis. Brunswick merged with Julius Balke's Great Western Billiard Manufactory to form the J. M. Brunswick & Balke Company in 1873. In 1884 the company merged with Phelan & Collender and became the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company.