Newest Starbucks store could be weirdest ever

You can find a Starbucks just about anywhere, so it
shouldn’t be that big of a surprise that a South Carolina
funeral home is opening a Starbucks satellite adjacent to
the chapel for those that need help in mourning, or just
the morning.

Chris Robinson with the Robinson Funeral Home in Easely,
S.C. says coffee has always been an important comfort
during times of grief. The Starbucks is just a modern
twist on a time honored tradition.

“So if this provides them a little escape and gives them a
break from the stress they are going through then that’s
what it’s all about to make them feel better,” Robinson
says.

The shop will operate as “The Coffee Corner” rather than
an actual Starbucks store. It will feature Starbucks
coffee and food and include other amenities commonly found
in contemporary coffee shops like WiFi and TV. Starbucks
employees will train employees at the funeral home later
this month before the shop opens.

But is it in bad taste? The hosts of Seattle’s Morning
News on 97.3 KIRO FM are bit creeped out.

“A lot of funeral homes are doing this kind of thing,
trying to have business year round and get a more regular
customer. So they are doing different kinds of events at
the funeral home, which would be odd for me to go to, but
you have to make money some how,” says co-host Linda
Thomas.

But co-host Tom Tangney says it seems a little to crass
for such a somber spot.

“It just feels inappropriate. It would be like walking
into church and suddenly seeing a KFC or McDonald’s. It
feels out of place.”

Co-host Bill Radke jokingly suggests at the very least,
the
shop can offer a special selection of CD’s for sale that
fit the venue, titles like “Tears in Heaven,” “Candle in
the
Wind,” “Stairway to Heaven,” he jokes.