Unlikely Marriages
Posted by Roz Lee in Uncategorized on 16-07-2012
We’re halfway through summer here in the U.S., and I’ve just finished the first draft of another book – Jason’s story, the still untitled second book in my Mustangs baseball series. I deserve a break, and I’m taking one while my Beta reader picks apart my efforts.
With my daughter getting married in a few months, and one of our Sexy Romance authors, Jennifer Lynne, saying ‘I do’ in a few weeks, I’ve got marriage on my mind. (Congratulations, Jen!) So, attempting to reacquaint myself with what’s been going on while I’ve been sequestered in my writing cave, I came upon a news story I had to check out.
Unlikely marriages are the staple of romance novelists, but this one? Well, judge for yourself.
It seems Robinson Funeral Home in Easley, South Carolina is getting married – well sort of. They’re getting married to a Starbucks coffee shop.
Yep. True story. You can read all about it here.
It’s technically an expansion, but when two things come together to form one – that’s a marriage – right? They claim it will simply be a coffee shop, complete with a cozy fireplace, that sells the famous brand coffee. Sells. Coffee. To grieving friends and relatives. Or are they hoping to create a new revenue stream, drawing in customers who have no other reason to visit their establishment than that they’re dying for a cup of java and a pastry? Or maybe they’re trying to attract more tech savvy mourners. I can’t think of any other reason a funeral home needs free Wi-Fi.
Full Disclosure – I’ve been to Easley. It’s not far from where my daughters live in upstate South Carolina. In fact, I was there just a few days before I saw this story. The highway running through the town is lined with strip malls, fast food joints, red lights and churches. It’s home to at least one mega-church, as well as undoubtedly, the biggest McDonald’s I’ve ever seen – which BTW also has free Wi-Fi and coffee. One-upmanship seems to be a recurring theme in Easley, which might account for a funeral home installing a coffee shop.
As unlikely as this arrangement is, combination businesses are not as rare as one might think. Years ago, I remember seeing this improbable mix in western Massachusetts. 
Dave’s Soda and Pet City has five locations to serve your thirst and pet needs.
If you know me at all, you know I can spend hours doing precisely nothing, so it shouldn’t surprise you that I went in search of other businesses to add to my list of marriages made in corporate heaven. Here are a few more I thought were particularly interesting – or disturbing, as the case may be.
In the heart of Tornado Alley, this Kansas business might want to add a church too. They wouldn’t have to change the signage too much. <grin> Seriously, mobile homes in that part of the country should come with a free storm shelter.
I found this rather disturbing one in El Cajon, California . Guns & Liquor? This is soooo not a good idea!
And seriously, Ft. Madison, Iowa looks like a lovely town, but who thinks this is a okay?
Never one to pass up a bookstore, this is an interesting business in San Jose, California. Yep, that’s a combination cleaners and, I’m assuming, library specializing in Spanish language books.
And, in all fairness to the funeral home in Easley, perhaps they aren’t the first such establishment to seek a new revenue stream. I found this one in Ontario, Canada. I can almost understand the furniture business – you know, caskets and commodes? Kind of has a ring to it, don’t you think?
I know there are other strange ones out there, so bring it on folks! Tell me about your favorite unlikely business marriage.