Article originally published by: Patch
Brand Memorials’ line of MLB-licensed Cubs memorial products is outselling Yankees, Red Sox and Cardinals caskets and urns.
A Novi, Michigan-based branded funeral products company is bringing new meaning to the words “diehard Cubs fan.” With the Chicago Cubs’ first appearance in the World Series since 1945, sales of Cubs-themed caskets and urns have doubled.
Wallace Popravsky, a partner with Brand Memorials, a division of the Eternal Image Group Inc., says the Major League Baseball-licensed Cubs memorial products have become the company’s leading seller as the Cubbies stand on the precipice of winning their first world championship since 1908.
“The Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals and Cubs are our four best sellers,” said Popravsky, a lifelong Detroit Tigers fan. “Right now the Cubs are selling better than all of them.”
The memorial products are MLB-licensed and are available for every team in the American and National Leagues. Each casket comes with a tailored velvet interior and a half-couch design that can be propped open for convenient viewing. There’s even a matching pillow and throw with the team’s official logo. The exterior is decorated with traditional corners and full handle bars.
“A lot of people buy the Cubs caskets and urns. Even if they don’t need them now, they’re there when they do,” Popravsky said. “Some guys order urns for their man cave.”
Most families order the MLB memorial products through their funeral director, but the company does sell directly to the public. A Cubs casket sells for $2,500; an urn goes for $649. Shipping is free to funeral homes and residences. Express shipping costs extra.
Brand Memorials was started by Popravsky’s son, Nick, and a friend, around 2006. In addition to its MLB line, the company makes caskets and urns with college and fraternal logos, and for the Vatican Observatory Foundation. The company even carries a line of KISS urns and caskets.
“We got a request for a KISS casket,” Popravsky said. “Gene Simmons found out and called us up. He had us on the phone for 45 minutes until he convinced us to do it.”
The company deals only in licensed branded products that encompass the individual’s faith, fandom and lifestyle, which often includes the Chicago Cubs.
“Almost every day we hear from men and women who order the Cubs merchandise,” Popravsky said. “We’ve sold Cubs’ caskets and urns in every state.”
