Times are changing for the funeral industry. And a Traverse City company is right at the forefront of those changes.
In 1960, about 3.5% of Americans were cremated. But in 2015, for the first time, more Americans were cremated than buried. And by 2030, that percentage is expected to hit seventy percent. That’s a big shift.
Stardust Memorials is a company in Traverse City that has built its entire business around selling cremation urns online, and business is booming.
Stardust Memorials was ranked in Inc. magazine’s 500 list, making it among the nation’s top, fastest-growing businesses and it was ranked number 14 on the list of Michigan’s fastest-growing businesses.
Stateside joined the husband-and-wife team who own Stardust Memorials, Marcy and Jordan Lindberg, in Traverse City.
According to Marcy and Jordan, there are a number of reasons more Americans are choosing to have their loved ones cremated.
One factor is cost. Marcy reminded us that America is still working through a recession. Another factor? Cremation makes the logistics of a funeral or memorial much easier, she said. With families so often spread across the country, cremation lets people figure out what to do with their deceased at “a time that’s convenient.”
Marcy also speculated that many Americans are turning toward funerals that celebrate life, rather than the more somber experiences we might recognize from the past.
And “celebratory” is certainly the overwhelming attitude at Stardust Memorials: “We recently had a fun blog post on our website of the funniest things that people engrave on urns,” said Marcy.
Like what, you ask?
Listen to find out.
(Subscribe to the Stateside podcast on iTunes, Google Play, or with this RSS link)
