Melissa Maloney says the hardest day of her life led her to found a business that she hopes disrupts a tradition-bound industry.
“In March of 2023, we lost my daughter Sophia,” Maloney says, seated next to her husband Greg. “Before that, I hadn’t really thought about funerals and celebrations of life.”
As they struggled with grief, Maloney says they quickly realized a funeral home was not going to fit their needs for memorializing their daughter. She also found that alternative venues were geared toward weddings or anniversaries and birthdays.
It was hard to find a place that even had an opening, and many were costly with requirements for add-ons and features they didn’t need.
“I needed something different, and because I couldn’t find what I wanted, I created what I wanted,” Maloney says. “I just wanted somewhere people could go and celebrate their loved one at a nice venue and not cost $10,000 to do it.”
Greg and Melissa purchased a former paint store in summer 2024 and, after months of remodeling, opened A Gathering for You in January 2025 as a celebration of life venue.
Maloney, who studied design in college, says she had a vision for the space even before they purchased the building.
What they created is a room with white walls and LED lighting that can change color and intensity. The space has tables with folding chairs, but also couches and low tables for more comfortable seating. Table linens and centerpieces are included.
There also is a memorial table for cremains, a podium, sound system, two large TVs, magnetic photo boards and some small games for children. There is a kitchen space for people who want to bring in their own food and a candy cart and coffee station that the Maloneys stock at no extra charge. They also help with setup and cleanup.
“We just want it to go smoothly for people,” Maloney says. “I think grief is hard enough.”
Response has been uniformly positive, but Maloney says they have to educate people about what they are doing and how it is different.
“I have to change a whole mentality,” Maloney says. “When I say ‘celebration of life venue,’ in people’s heads they picture a funeral home. It’s very different. We play music and we eat. The feel of it is just more uplifting.”
A Gathering for You is unique in Wisconsin, according to Maloney, who says she would like to see more spaces that focus on end of life celebrations. Greg calls it a more compassionate business model and they have bypassed revenue opportunities to keep it simple and affordable.
“It’ll be profitable. Will I be a millionaire? Probably not,” Maloney says. “I don’t need to be rich. I’m looking to help people.”
