I know grieving people need coffee and snacks as much as anybody, but isn’t it at least a little bit weird to put a Starbucks in a funeral home? Apparently, a funeral home in South Carolina doesn’t think so. I’m sorry, this just seems creepy.
I suppose it isn’t any weirder really than a Starbucks anywhere else. We have them in grocery stores so we can get coffee while we shop. We have them in airports so we can get coffee while we travel. And, now, we will have them in funeral homes so we can have coffee while we mourn the dead.
The article is quick to mention that this Starbucks will also serve those not already visiting the funeral home. Yeah, there’s an idea: Let’s pop by the Starbucks and get some coffee. Sure, which one? Oh, let’s go to the nice one…the one at the funeral home.
Am I the only one who might be a little queasy about regularly visiting a Starbucks in a funeral home? Sure, if I was there for a funeral that might be one thing. However, I ain’t going there for just coffee. Will they be playing the normal happy Starbucks music? Wouldn’t that be a bit mood inappropriate if they did? Wouldn’t Chopin’s Funeral March be a bit more appropriate, if a bit less conducive to selling coffee?
I mean, really…could you imagine hanging out at a funeral home drinking coffee all day and surfing the free WiFi? I don’t know. Maybe other people can. Maybe this is just weird for me.
The funeral home will continue offering its own coffee for those not interested in the Starbucks brand.