Published: July 02, 2008 12:01 pm            

Back Roads: Built for the end

Originally published in the June 27, 2008, print edition.

When Glenn Brix wanted to make his woodworking hobby into a part-time commercial enterprise he took it in a surprising direction.

“I’ve built and sold 250 coffins,” Glenn said.

He is quick to add that the “I” in Avon Coffin Works includes his son Jake, wife, Kathy, and daughter Julianna.

Jake, who is 27 and will inherit the business when his father retires, stains the coffins and installs the linings. Kathy sews the linings on a machine in their home next to the workshop. Julianna, a recent graduate in graphic arts from Minnesota State University, Moorhead, designed the company’s brochures and website. She also will soon be opening a show room for the Coffin Works in Pelican Rapids.

The whole family is involved in making the coffins. The family of the customer can be involved, too.

Although Avon Coffin Works regularly keeps 10 or so coffins on hand, Glenn said half his customers order their custom-made coffins before they need them. His workshop generally has a plentiful supply of black ash, white ash, red oak, maple, pine and other kiln-dried wood, but some customers bring their own wood, or even logs. Other customers bring a preferred liner fabric, such as denim or a beloved quilt.

Federal laws require that funeral homes accept the coffin, or cremation urn, chosen by the family of the deceased. The family can bring the coffin to the funeral home or Avon Coffin Works can deliver it if the distance isn’t too great.

They only supply coffins to the end-user. Glenn said he could sell directly to funeral homes and make more money, but chooses not to.

“The main reason we started this was to help people out and save them a lot of money,” he said.

Prices at the Coffin Works range from $800 to around $1,250 depending on the type of wood and the construction style. Metal handles cost the same as hand-crafted wood handles.

“It takes a lot of time to make the wood handles,” said Glenn.

Customers who have their coffins built ahead of time can take them home and stain them themselves. Some of those far-sighted customers have then used their coffins for storage or as a knick-knack display. Later, they can exchange places with their knick-knacks.

For more information on Avon Coffin Works call Glenn, in the evenings, at (320) 250-5089 or visit www.avoncoffinworks.com.

        

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