Custom candle firm opens on Glenstone

Sara Groves knows a thing or two about candles as well she might, given that she's been making and selling them for about two years. Her business, Custom CandleLights, recently moved to its first storefront location at 2109 N. Glenstone, Ste. D. It offers more than 200 scents to about 350 retail and wholesale customers.

Getting started

Groves never thought she'd open her own store her candle making began as a hobby.

"I was buying a lot of candles and they weren't burning correctly ... and they weren't as fragrant after I'd get them home and burn them for a little bit, the fragrance was gone," Groves said.

She got tired of spending money on candles that didn't do what she wanted them to, so when her husband suggested that she try making some candles for herself, she did some research and started experimenting. Through a lot of trial and error, she's come up with a formula that does just what she likes in a candle.

"I found a way where the wax will burn completely down in the container, and the fragrance lasts throughout the candle," she said.

Initially, she made candles for herself and as gifts for friends. Her friends were very supportive, which built her confidence, and she took her candles to a craft show.

"I ran into this lady who worked at the post office in Willard ... and she told everybody at the Willard post office (about Custom CandleLights), and friends, family, everybody, and just really got me started," Groves said.

At that point she began making candles full-time, and she took orders, made candles and shipped them herself. Groves said she even did a few candle parties, which she enjoyed, because she didn't have any retail displays at her home. Customer feedback has played a big part in her candles' success. If a customer told her that something wasn't right with a candle, she fixed it.

Candles, candles everywhere

Custom CandleLights grew to the point that Groves was, in some cases, working round-the-clock, and her home was filled with boxes of candles and candle-making supplies.

"I bought a storage shed. It still didn't work. I still had boxes all throughout my house I couldn't get away from it," Groves said.

She made all her candles on her stovetop, so she also didn't have too many home-cooked meals. "I didn't feel like standing at my stove all day making candles and then, at night, cooking dinner," Groves said.

Not that she had much time for cooking dinner "If I slept two or three hours a night, that was good. There were some days I didn't sleep at all," Groves said.

Another pair of hands

Groves began to think about moving her business, but it wasn't until she started getting behind in her orders that she realized not only did she need more space, she needed someone to help. Her sister, Sharon Barnes, left her part-time job at a floral shop and became her partner. About two months ago, the sisters opened the new shop.

"I went and quit my job and went in with (Groves), and she's teaching me all the basics of how to make (candles). And I'm teaching her ... how to display them, how to talk to wholesale people and that type of thing," Barnes said.

The new location features retail displays, as well a room in which the candles are made. Groves still uses a stovetop, but she's added a large wax melter, which moves things along more quickly. Groves buys plain candle wax, melts it down and adds fragrances and other additives to extend the life of the fragrance. She then chooses the wicks and fills the containers. From start to finish the candle-making process takes about two days.

Wholesale, retail

Groves and Barnes said the majority of their sales are to retail customers, but Custom CandleLights does have some wholesale customers, and the sisters would like to see that segment of the company grow. Groves attributes much of her success to the Internet, both in terms of learning the trade and because she's picked up wholesale clients in California, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania via her Web site, www.cus tomcandlelights.com.

Custom CandleLights started out with 36 scents, and most additions have been made at customers' request. The names of the scents can be changed to fit the customer, Groves said.

Barnes added that wholesale vendors can have their own labels put on the candles, as well.

Custom CandleLights also does fund-raisers, and for those, the organization raising the money is usually reflected on the labels, she said.

Lots of candles, refills too

Custom CandleLights' best-selling scent is White Cake, but other scents include Honeysuckle, German Chocolate Cake, Honeysuckle, Candy Corn, Pumpkin, Egg Nog and Raspberry. And if a customer seeks a scent that's not on the list of 200-plus options, Groves and Barnes will find a way to get it for them.

Custom CandleLights offers candles from as little as $1.35 for the miniature jars to $17.95 for 40-ounce jars. The candles come in all different types of glassware, including mugs. But another unique service Custom CandleLights offers is that the company will refill used candle jars and other heat-resistant glassware with the scent of the customer's choice, for 40 cents per liquid ounce.

The largest refill to date was 15 pounds. Groves said the refill option is popular among clients, some of whom will bring in special jars to be filled for gift-giving. The only stipulations are that the jars be able to withstand heat, and they must be clean when they're taken to the shop. The refill option also allows the store to meet unusual requests.

"We had a woman whose daughter was getting married, and she came in and said, what can you do different for me?'" Barnes said. The woman wanted a large candle for the bridal table, and after she talked with Barnes and Groves about the wedding and its theme, she brought in a large glass swan, which was filled and made into a candle that was displayed with flowers and greenery.

Lessons learned

Groves said even though she never intended to own a home-based business, much less her own store, she has lots of advice for others who might want to strike out on their own.

The best part of working from home was the convenience, but once her company grew, she basically gave up her home to the business.

"Some people can work out of their home and have a small clientele and they're happy, but if they want to become big or try to become the best, they're going to have to give up (working at home) eventually, unless they can hire people to work for them (there)," Groves said.

She added that there's a lot to be said for leaving home to open a store once growth justifies the move. Returning to a regular schedule Custom Candle-Lights is open 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday means she can leave work at work, and enjoy her time off doing other things.

She also said it's important for small-business owners to believe in what they do and to not undersell themselves.

"When I first started out, my prices were very low, because I had a good product but I wasn't that sure of myself, my confidence wasn't there," she said.