Headstones In West Michigan Are In Short Supply

The pandemic has effected nearly every business. Headstone engraving has been impacted too. 

The quarries that headstones come from have been shut down for most of the past year. Many companies are working to catch up. If you're wanting to honor a loved one, there is a 4 month delay for many headstones.

Brooks Wheeler, owner of Muskegon Monument & Stone Co. told WOOD TV,

"I usually have a whole bunch of stones here and I don’t have as many as I usually do. I have stuff that’s on order that usually I have shipped here by now. But the quarries were all closed down last year, so they had a hard time getting the blocks where I get my stones from. So, they’re a little bit behind. I get most of my stuff from Georgia, and so all the stone places down there are behind on their orders. It’s slowed things up here, that’s for sure.”

It's the first time in 37 years that Wheeler says they have run out of stone. Wheeler advised it's better to wait and get what you want rather than hurry and settle for something you're not happy with.

Rising gas prices have affected the shipping costs that are then reflected in the final price, however, the pandemic has not affected the stone costs.