Ark Valley News
8/16/2001

Candle store to open on Main
The Ark Valley News

August 16, 2001

A candle store will open next week at the corner of Main and Park.

Christal Sanford is moving the business, Classic Candles, out of her Park City home. It will be at 200 W. Main, the former location of On the Corner.

Sanford will operate the store with her husband, Paul and her brother and sister-in-law, Scott and Lori Murray. She said they produce and sell scented candles.

Sanford said she became interested in candles through her sister-in-law, and now they have a year and a half of experience in the business. Lori Murray did research, and Sanford learned to manufacture.

"It's hard to get the scents to perfection, and the colors," Sanford said. "but once you do, you never want to lose the recipe."

Classic Candles offers 43 scents that come in 5-ounce to 26-ounce containers. Workers also will pour candles into custom containers.

Sanford said the front of the store will be used for retail sales, and the back will be for production. However, she hopes to build or purchase a warehouse in Valley Center that would hold more equipment and then move the production operation there.

Dillon's stores feature candles from Classic Candles in their floral departments, and the owners are talking to officials at Wal-Mart and Hy-Vee about stocking their candles. Sanford said Classic Candles also will feature crafts on consignment and candles that are available for organizations to sell as fund-raisers.

"I never thought candles could introduce that much business, but it does," she said. "Everybody likes them. Everybody likes candles."

Sanford plans to employ sales representatives for craft shows and open houses. She said her dream is for the store to feature an old-fashioned soda bar, too.

Sanford explained that she chose to move the business to Valley Center because her children--ages 10, 7 and 5-- attend Valley Center schools and the location is convenient.

Classic Candles will open Monday, and a grand opening is scheduled to coincide with the Fall Festival in September. Sanford plans to employ two family members at the store.

Hours at Classic Candles will be 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 4 to 7 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.