After years working in the television industry, Drew Raphael needed a change. He had worked in corporate America for many years, but dreamed of developing his own business. He considered opening up a bicycle shop in the West Village or starting a clothing company, but both of these ideas necessitated big upfront cash outlays. Unfortunately, as too many of us in New York City know, it can take hundreds of thousands of dollars to start a brick and mortar business in the city. Drew needed an idea with low startup costs and low overhead.
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One day while walking his daughter around the village, he passed by the building where Heath Ledger overdosed and passed away. He saw literally hundreds of people walking by the building taking photos. The sight gave Drew an idea. If so many people took time out of their day to take photos of a building where a celebrity passed away, why wouldn’t they take a tour of various sites within the city where other famous New Yorkers had passed away?Drew started doing some research online and at the New York Public Library. He also bought a book written by Dr. Kenneth Jackson called The Encyclopedia of New York (http://bit.ly/90wd4I). Drew learned all about famous people who passed away in the city, and how and where they died. He found dozens of interesting stories and realized that there just might be a unique business he could create from his newfound knowledge.
Drew was determined to create a sightseeing business around famous New York City deaths, but knew that he had to create the atmosphere. He realized that a simple bus or car wouldn’t draw crowds, but a real hearse would. Drew researched hearses on the net and found a classic 1960 Cadillac Superior Crown Royale combination hearse, one of only 478 produced. Not many of these classic hearses can be found anywhere in the country. Drew pounced on the car and had it shipped from Chicago to New York City where Valanca Auto Concepts in the Bronx has been restoring the car to its original glory, Drew-style. The car now has leather interiors, crushed velvet seats, and three video screens where customers can see videos of famous people who have passed away in the city.
Dead Apple Tours (www.deadappletours.com) is about to begin its maiden trip around lower Manhattan to show tourists where James Monroe spent his final days, where Keith Haring passed away, and where Oscar-winner Heath Ledger succumbed to drugs. The tour will also reveal the secrets of “The Hangman’s Elm”, “Dead Man’s Curve”, and many other morbid sites that only Drew knows about.
Dead Apple Tours will offer two tours each day, six days a week. Tours leave at 10am and 2pm. Desdemona, the Hearse, will be driven and guided by two people dressed as funeral directors. Each Dead Apple Tours ticket will resemble a holy card distributed at a Catholic funeral and the tip jar will be an actual funeral urn. There will also be tee shirts and bumper stickers available for sale with the Dead Apple Tours logo.
Drew expects to start an uptown tour sometime later this year. Expect that tour to view Sparks Restaurant, where mafia boss Paul Castellano was gunned down, and the building on East 72nd Street and York Avenue, where Yankee pitcher Corey Lidle crashed his plane.
Tickets for the two hour tour are $45 and private tours are available. Check out the website (www.deadappletours.com) or email him at: Drew@deadappletours.com.
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Brad Berkowitz is the author of: The 21st Century Guide to Bachelorhood http://bit.ly/RhEgp He also writes a regular article on the New York Giants on NFL Blog Blitz (http://blogblitz.nfl.com/new-york-giants) as well as a monthly article on Jdate.com (http://bit.ly/cjLUkD)Twitter: BradBerkowitz
Comments
great story brad!
Interesting business and great story. Maybe a large publication will pick up on it.
Brilliant! I hope the guy does well. Another great article.
This is awesome. If this story goes national, he will do very well. Somebody will pick up on it.
Morbid, but interesting. I always enjoy your articles.
Drew is a friend and I'm glad you saw it fit to write about his idea. Macabre, but marvelous!
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