Former car dealership to be converted to funeral home

A long-time funeral home operator has purchased a former car dealership on Milwaukee’s northwest side for a fourth location.

Van Horn Properties of Milwaukee, LLC sold the former dealership property at 7550 N. 76th St. to Reid’s New Golden Gate Funeral Home for $700,000.

Founders 3 brokered the deal.

The property will be converted over the next year to a funeral home and event center and full service commercial kitchen to accommodate up to four families at a time grieving for loved ones, said Arthur Reid Jr., who has owned the business since 1981.

“I need more room to be able to offer the community more of our services,” Reid said.

New Golden Gate Funeral Home currently has two locations in Milwaukee at 5565 N. Teutonia Ave. and 2535 N. Teutonia Ave., and a Racine location at 1910 Taylor Ave.

Reid began working in the funeral home business in 1955, when he was 15. His first job with Williamson Funeral Home at 1726 N. 7^th St., where he helped the owner during the day of funerals, he said.

In 1981, Arthur co-founded Reid and Yandell Funeral Home, which eventually became the first Golden Gate Funeral Home in 1986.

In 1993, Golden Gate Funeral Home changed to New Golden Gate Funeral Home. Reid became the sole owner and operator in 2008. Reid opened is second location in Racine in 2012.