For the past 13 months, cabinetmaker John Brough, 32, has been making wooden caskets for retail sales through his shop, called Pioneer Woodworks, at 620 W. Center St., North Salt Lake.
Brough says he is probably one of only a couple of companies in the western United States that makes caskets that are sold retail instead of to funeral homes. "I've heard of one company in California that is doing it, but that's all," he said.A woodworker most of his life, Brough grew up working with his father, Rod Brough, in the family cabinetmaking shop in Bountiful and started in business himself last year doing architectural woodwork and commercial fixtures.
"I got the idea of making caskets because they cost so much in funeral homes - there is a terrific markup on caskets - and I figured there might be a lot of people who would want to buy their own casket and store it away for their funeral or buy a casket for a loved one that had just died."
He was right. Business has been good. Many of the people who have purchased Brough's caskets have stored them in the attic at Brough's business or have taken them away and stored them in rental storage sheds.
Brough offers several models in oak, poplar, walnut, cherry, maple and pine and in different grades with a variety of ornaments and handles made of wood or attractive metals.
His least expensive model is $750. All his models, he says, sell for about half of what you would pay in a funeral home. Brough does not sell to funeral homes, he says, because they disapprove of his company and the fact he sells to the public at retail.
He advertises in local papers and says many people buy his caskets for loved ones who have just died so they can save money in funeral expenses. "Funerals can be terribly expensive and, if you can save $1,500 on a casket, it can help reduce the final cost.
"It took me a year to plan and design my first caskets, because of the intricate workmanship, including tongue and grove joints, special hinges and embellishments required. I line the caskets with beautiful cloth and can imprint hundreds of different designs on the inside of the casket lid."
Brough, who employs two woodworkers at his shop and a salesman, says he will deliver his caskets anywhere along the Wasatch Front free.
"The way business has been growing, it looks like my idea has a great future."