Local Wanders - 5/6

Walking into Vermont HoneyLights is a breath of fresh air. Located on Main Street in Bristol, Vermont HoneyLights is a family-owned and operated business that sells beeswax candles and accessories. The store’s interior is complete with whitewashed wooden floors and displays of ornately molded beeswax candles on antique furnishings. Bonita Bedard, who co-owns the candle store with her husband David and daughter Shawna Sherwin, is proud of the aesthetic beauty of the store, which she claims often attracts interior designers looking for inspiration.

The Bedard family purchased the business about 10 years ago from Christine DuMond who operated Illuminée DuMonde — a beeswax candle store started in the 1980’s. Bedard had been working as the business manager of Illuminée DuMonde and knew the ins and outs of the beeswax candle industry pretty well. Soon after the Bedards acquired the business, they moved to the store’s current address.

Although the Bedards do not raise their own bees (the Vermont climate does not allow for it) they do all of the candlemolding and -coloring themselves. The candle-making process starts with melting 20-pound blocks of beeswax. Next the pale yellow wax is turned into vibrant colors ranging from baby blue to ruby red. Scents are not added to candles, which instead retain the sweet fragrance of beeswax. Lastly, the molding process shapes the wax into little tealights, votives, tapers or more intricately shaped candles.

Burning beeswax candles is environmentally friendly, as they burn slower than paraffin candles, and paraffin is derived from petroleum. Beeswax candles also purify the air as negative ions are released when the candles are burnt and can aid in treating insomnia.

“If you have trouble sleeping you can light a beeswax candle for about an hour before you go to bed,” said Bedard, “You’ll sleep better.”

Another characteristic of beeswax candles is their tendency to “bloom” — a term used to describe the oxidation process that forms a white, powdery coating on the candle. Many wipe this substance off for a polished look, while others like the marbleized texture it creates.

“Number one it proves it is real and not a paraffin imitation, and also it reminds me of raspberries,” added Bedard.

When the company began, the candle products were put on shelves. This did not resonate well with customers who often commented that they didn’t know how to display them in their homes. Once candles were displayed with furniture and home accessories, people had a better idea of how to incorporate candles into their living spaces. Vermont HoneyLights continues this tradition today, and even has some pieces of furniture, custom-made by David Bedard, for sale.

In recent years Vermont HoneyLights expanded its inventory by selling Vermont jams and sauces, birthday cards, purses and raw honey. The business is currently in the process of revamping its website. Although Bedard plans to improve her business to keep up with modern times, the company will always stay true to the its core. Part of this means committing to dealing solely with American suppliers. All candles are made from beeswax harvested by American beekeepers and all additional products are domestically produced.

“We sometimes go completely outside of the box, as long as it stays true to the heart of the company,” said Bedard.