BUCYRUS, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—A local candle, gift, and gourmet food company has launched a new line of candles designed to “light up” the weekends.
The Crossroads Family of Companies, a candle-making company founded in 2003, has recently introduced the Slower Days Co. brand of candles. A hand-poured collection of candles created especially for simple pleasures and “mindful living.”
“We chose to tap into a different demographic and launch something new,” said Lyndsay McMullen, founder of Slower Days Co. and operations manager for Crossroads, her family’s business. “But we didn’t want to confuse our regular Crossroads customers.”
The new collection – a coconut soy wax blend in 14.5-ounce amber frosted jars – features three fragrance collections, one for each day of the weekend. “We’re kind of taking the customer through an idealistic weekend essentially,” McMullen explained.
The Friday collection features scents like “Espresso Martini” and “Dessert First,” while Saturday’s “Brunch Date” evokes the aroma of blueberry, coconut, and vanilla. For Sunday, there’s “Pancakes and PJs” and the sun-drenched linen scent of “Laundry Day.”
The project, McMullen said, has been in the works for more than a year, from brainstorming and branding to jar design and fragrance development. It also required a $1.2 million investment in factory equipment to produce the product line, she said.
“It really took all of last year to get to this point,” McMullen said. “We wanted to tap into the soy market by having a soy offering. We wanted to do that since before COVID hit but really didn’t have the capacity before the equipment upgrade.”
The three-wick jars, which boast 70 hours of burn time, recently debuted at the Gift Mart in Atlanta where they received a “glowing” response from wholesale customers, McMullen said. “It looks very different than Crossroads, actually. It has its own look.”
McMullen, who is a C.P.A., said that creating Slower Days for the Crossroads fragrance division and spearheading its launch has been especially gratifying because it’s opening a new chapter for the company founded by her father, Jason, and uncle, Justin McMullen.
“It’s been overwhelming in the best way I guess you could say, having a positive response and contributing to the growth of my family’s company,” she said. “It’s just been really, really fun. Being a C.P.A. and getting to do something creative is very unexpected.”
Slower Days also makes discovery sets – four 6-ounce candles in decorative boxes for each of the collections, as well as wax melts and room and linen sprays. They are available in the Factory Store and online at enjoyslowerdays.com
Because these candles are crafted for peaceful moments. For the slower side of life. “These fragrances are really meant to look beautiful, smell good around your house, and bring a little joy to your every day.
