Handcrafted, Eco-Friendly Goods for the Home

By Angie Landsverk

Cedar Creek Candles & Gifts’ story begins in the kitchen of an Indiana home.

“Our family has always been entrepreneurs and loves creating things with their hands. Making candles was the perfect fit, while making an extra income,” Sherrie Lairson said of the inspiration behind the business.

She started experimenting with soy wax about 25 years ago, because she wanted to increase her earnings. Soy wax was new to the wax market back then.

In 2009, they took their product to county fairs, craft and vintage markets, and wholesale shows. That allowed their business to blossom into what it is today. “We continue to participate in vendor markets in Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Kentucky, Ohio, New York, West Virginia, and Tennessee,” Sherrie said.

“By 2018, the business had grown to the point of taking over the kitchen, the den, the dining room, and the basement,” she said. “This prompted the first brick-and-mortar store to open in Grabill, Indiana.”

Their original location was 1,400 square feet. In 2021, they relocated to a larger space of 3,750 square feet in Leo, Indiana.

They lease the building, with a goal of purchasing their own property in the next three years. “With the growth of our business, we are constantly finding ways to reorganize and rework our space, so that it can be used efficiently,” Sherrie said.

She shared a bit about the area in which their shop is located. “Leo is a growing community of 3,500 people just five miles outside of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Fort Wayne is the second-largest city in Indiana,” Sherrie said. “Our community is home to many families and offers an excellent school system; community events, such as the Freedom Festival in June, Bloom Fest in August, Market on Main in September, and Santa Claus Comes to Leo in December; many walking and biking trails; several parks; and the St. Joseph River for boating and kayaking.”

Inside Their Shop

Sherrie said they handmake everything sold in their store, including soy wax candles in glass, ceramic, and dough bowl vessels; lotion candles; wax melts; room sprays; reed diffusers; car diffusers; cold-process soap; body lotion; shower steamers; beard oil; shampoo and conditioner bars; whipped sugar scrubs; body spray; perfume rollers; and soon bath bombs. “All our products are phthalate-free and paraben-free, and all our raw materials are made in the United States, with a good portion coming directly from the Midwest,” she said.

They began adding their bath and body products in 2022. And Sherrie said the demand for those products continues to grow.

“Our bestselling products currently are our 14-ounce soy wax candle, 12-ounce coffee candles, and body lotion,” she said.

Cedar Creek Candles & Gifts has an online store as well. They offer in-store pickup and shipping throughout the United States.

Someone said, “The cutest store!!!! Lots of amazing smelling candles and unique gifts!!!” The comments also included, “Looking for fabulous customer service with great selection and great candles for the ultimate scent experience? This is your place, and it’s a small local business. Check it out or just stop in.”

Special events are held at the gift shop. “We started with candle making workshops, including themed workshops like Spring Equinox, Cookie and Candle Making with Santa, several Mother’s Day theme workshops the Saturday before Mother’s Day, and private workshops celebrating bridal showers, children’s birthday parties, and corporate team-building workshops,” Sherrie said. “We also host outside vendors, from cookie decorating to watercolor painting.”

She said attending vendor markets and community events, as well as hosting varied workshops, has driven their recognition organically. And in addition to providing community events and sponsoring them, Cedar Creek Candles & Gifts partners with local schools and organizations for fundraising efforts — selling their products via traditional methods like order taking or participating in a “Shop for a Cause” event in their store.

 Serving Their Customers

 “Our customers are family to us. They’ve been with us from the beginning of our business journey, and they’re always greeted when they enter our store,” Sherrie said. “Our sales associates are outgoing, helpful, and respectful to all who come through our doors.”

She said that is what sets their customer service apart from other shops. And the fact that all their products are handmade in Leo, with a wide range of fragrances and items offered, is what makes Cedar Creek Candles & Gifts different from other shops in its area.

Among the things that make their business successful are their customer service, range of sustainable products, and classes, Sherrie noted. “We refill candle vessels for our customers who have attended a candle making workshop. We refill many of our body products, including body lotion, perfume rollers, and body spray,” she said. “We also can make a product while a customer waits if the product is sold out on our shelves.”

Sherrie said, “We care about the products being made and sold to our customers. They appreciate a well-made product for an affordable price that supports renewable resources and is sustainable for their families.”

What is her advice to those who recently opened their own gift shop? “Plan on dedicating long hours, hard work, and dedication to your vision while providing your customers with a positive shopping experience,” she said.

For those wondering what this mother and her two daughters like most about what they do, Sherrie’s response was succinct. It is “the creative outlet that our business affords us, and the connection we have with our customers,” she said.

Do you want to share your story? To be considered for a future Retailer Spotlight, email Angie at angiel@jpmediallc.com.