Endswell, the 2022 Death Care start-up that brands itself as “A modern funeral home, is expanding their services to Chapel Hill, North Carolina.  And, it won’t be your mom and dad’s funeral home.

According to this article in Chapelboro.com, the company has bought ground-floor space in a street-front condominium building where they plan to launch an art gallery within a new, dedicated event space.  According to the article:

“The 6,000 square feet fronting North Merritt Mill Road will not only house Endswell’s administrative operations, but function as a space for memorial services and end of life celebrations. Those events will take place in an updated art gallery named AfterLight as a nod to the previous owner and to the space’s primary purpose.”

Endswell co-owner Hunter Beattie made this comment in the article, “We’ll curate a full art gallery here with a very soft end-of-life theme.”

The article also gives this information about the new space and Endswell’s modus operandi:

“Becoming the first funeral home with an incorporated art gallery is just the latest example of Endswell attempting to stand out from the traditional funeral home experience – which Beattie likes to reference as having dated “maroon-carpeted, floral wallpaper” interiors. Beyond launching as an aquamation first service, Endswell also quickly added natural burial preparation to its portfolio in keeping with its environment-focused values and became the first carbon-neutral aquamation business after adding solar panels to its Hillsborough facility.”

Finally, Beattie made this comment about his new location, “I think the art gallery-funeral home [combo] will sound strange initially – until it doesn’t anymore.  People will start to use our services, and then expect to walk into a funeral home and see beautiful, local art.  Because…why not?”

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

Funeral Director Daily take:  Endswell’s operations sound different. . . . but that was said about their first location which is apparently successful.  The company’s idea of the physical characteristics of their working and event space is very different from what has traditionally been the historic traditional funeral home.

I think they are on the right track with that way of thinking. . . . not that traditional funeral homes and decor are immediately going out of style but up to 61% of consumers have answered in various surveys that they have “eco-conscious” thoughts about funeral services which one would think would include brighter spaces, glass walls, water features, and reflection gardens.

Taking a look at the Endswell website, which you can access here, will give one an indication of how the funeral home of the future may be designed.  The company’s innovative approach does not guarantee success but it does appear that they are successful in what they are doing.

Or, it could be that they end up with the “right solution before the consumer is ready for it”.  Here’s a recent article I came across about “10 Failed inventions that were ahead of their time”.“

More news from the world of Death Care:

• Work continues to ID bodies found at Chicago funeral home.  KFBK News Radio – Sacremento (CA)
• Bannock County Coroner’s Office clafifies policy requiring definitive identification prior to cremation.  Idaho State Journal (ID)
• A nearly century-old funeral home with two Onondago County locations closes.  Syracuse.com (NY)

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