Joe Starosta left the funeral business for footlongs.
The Muskegon resident buried his former career when he recently became a Cousins Subs franchisee at 9901 77th St., in the Shoppes at Prairie Ridge near the new Target Store.
People typically are surprised if and when they learn about his career change, he said.
“They expect a funeral director to be a solemn, stoic person, and I’m a happy-go-lucky type,†he said. “I like to crack jokes.â€
Starosta, 47, entered the funeral business in 1989 and received his director’s and embalmer’s license in 1991. He worked about 13 years as manager for the Joseph Sass Funeral Home, Milwaukee. He still has that license — just in case.
A few years ago, Starosta and his wife, Laurel, decided they wanted to own a mortuary themselves.
But competition in the funeral business was tough, and such a purchase was too costly. He then saw an advertisement for Cousins, investigated the option and decided it would work for the couple.
“The Cousinses I ate at when I was 12 are still open,†he said. “It’s the only such restaurant that we both like.â€
Their store is to open Feb. 5. He expected there would be two full-time employees, including himself, and about 10 part-time employees.
The couple plans to open a new Cousins store each year for the next three years. One would be on Highway 165 near I-94, one in Union Grove and another at an as-yet undetermined site. More.