SPENCER, IA (Northwestiowanow) — Robinson Funeral Home has broken ground on its new Spencer location in the city’s emerging North Y development.
On Thursday, April 23, city leaders and economic development officials joined the Robinson family for a groundbreaking ceremony at the site along 2nd Avenue East, making the funeral home one of the first major developments to officially take shape in the North Y district.
The new facility will be the second location for Robinson Funeral Home, which has served families in Spirit Lake for more than 30 years. Rather than renovating an existing structure, owner Korey Robinson said the decision was made to build from the ground up to better meet the needs of families and the community.
Robinson says the Spencer expansion has been more than a decade in the making.
The new space is designed as a large, flexible facility, capable of hosting both intimate services and large gatherings. Plans include a 150-seat chapel, an overflow room seating up to 100 additional guests, and the ability to serve two families at the same time with separate entrances and full privacy. The building will also feature a separate lunch and gathering facility, outdoor patio space, and more than 70 off-street parking stalls.
A key feature of the facility will be a privately operated, on-site crematory, allowing loved ones to remain under the care of Robinson Funeral Home throughout the entire process.
The expansion also marks a second-generation milestone, with Robinson’s son, Spencer Robinson, set to join the family business after graduating from mortuary school later this year.
City leaders say the groundbreaking represents progress years in the making for Spencer’s North Y district.
Mayor Donovan Wunschel says planning for the area began with the focus of long-term growth.
Robinson believes the development will benefit Spencer well into the future.
Construction is now underway, with Robinson Funeral Home expected to serve Spencer and surrounding communities once the new facility is completed.
