At Grein Funeral Directors, we are committed to providing you and your family the very best in service. We strive daily to meet the needs of every family we serve, regardless of situation. Even our facilities reflect that commitment.
Our home, located at 2114 West Irving Park Road, was dedicated in 1931 and built and designed by G. Gaul of Herman J. Gaul & Son. An advertisement (dated 1936) states that at its dedication, the building was considered to be a memorial to Barney Grein, who founded the firm in 1889. The advertisement also states that the building is entirely fireproof and also contains air conditioning - uncommon features in the early 1930’s. The building was much ahead of its time, and it remains so today. In fact, during the 1930’s, funeral directors from across the nation visited Chicago to see the contemporary building. To our knowledge, this is the only chapel in the United States built in the Art Deco style.
According to the Chicago Art Deco Society, the building is "a familiar structure in the beautifully understated, once-upon-a-time called, modern style. It is also a good example of the care and thought and good design that was going into neighborhood commercial buildings at this period." The building directly faces Irving Park Road; the careful detailing, use of glass block, and neon signage are all distinct signs of Deco design. Also indicative of the style are the subtle chevrons and other geometric designs worked into the limestone surface.
The interior of the home has been described as "Every inch…a work of art." The walls are either dark wood-paneled or beautified by intricate and meticulous hand carving. The lobby lighting fixtures are original, as are most of the scones in the hallway. The sculpture at the end of the hall (seen here) is called Inspiration; it hails from the period and is composed of Italian Carrara.
The front of the hallway is flanked by the private offices to the left, and the reception lounge to the right. Both rooms still contain original richly paneled carved woods. Even our washrooms have original fixtures, stained glass, and ceramic tile. There are four chapels for our families' use; three smaller chapels and one main space.
We are proud of our home and its unique style. It is simply another facet of the truly special service that we can provide for you and your family.
