Elida Candle Co. reopens with new owners

FINDLAY — The Elida Candle Company's last day of business was set for June 28. Owners Mark and Diane Yonut had decided to retire. They both turned 60, and it was time to sign another lease for the South Main Street business, Diane said. "We love it, but it was time," she said. Then life took a few twists and turns, and they were contacted by Amanda and Jason Teter. "I just saw her Facebook posts that she was going out of business," said Amanda. "And I got to thinking, wow, that could be interesting." The Teters own Once Upon a Child, Plato's Closet, Style Encore, Home Once More and Expired Time Escape Room, all on Tiffin Avenue. As she was trying to figure out how to incorporate the candle company with Home Once More, 1949 Tiffin Ave., a home resale shop, Amanda told her husband about the idea. "It was the fastest, 'NO!' I've ever spit out in my life," he said. But Amanda kept researching the idea. They went on vacation and she shared the idea with her daughter. "She had shopped there and loves their candles. And she had seen their Facebook posts, too. And she's like, I was thinking the same thing," related Amanda. Her husband heard them talking and again nixed the idea. But Amanda wasn't deterred. She messaged Diane and found out they were willing to talk about selling the business. After a meeting, Jason changed his mind. "We sell obviously a lot of home goods here. Candles and wax melts are big sellers for us," he said. "And the more we talked about it we decided, and then I kind of got onboard and said, 'OK, it does make sense for our store.'" It was also an opportunity to fill the void left by the razing of the Findlay Village Mall and closing of Bath & Body Works there, he said. "This might be the perfect opportunity for people in Findlay to still get candles, still get their wax, still get their body sprays and their room sprays," said Jason. "And then I said as much work as it is for me, I decided to sacrifice and say let's do it." The Yonuts started the candle company in 2011 while they were living in Elida. They made the move to Findlay with Mark's job in September 2020. The business moved as well. "It was a hard decision to make to decide to retire, but when the opportunity came to sell the business, it's very exciting to see that it's still going to be in a great local business here in town, and then to watch how they grow it," Diane said. At Home Once More, candlemaking has been set up in the back of the store where Diane has been showing them the ropes. All of the items — handcrafted soy candles, melts, foam soap, body sprays, room sprays and bedding sprays — are being made locally. "We're hoping that's what sets us apart again with Bath & Body gone," Jason said. Amanda said making the products feels a little bit like chemistry class. "Although this was fun because you're measuring, you're weighing, mixing things, but way more fun than chemistry class," she laughed. Jason finds the process calming. "You're being very careful with the amount that you're putting in, so you do have to stay somewhat focused. You forget about everything else," he said. Diane declared that they're now professional candlemakers. A grand reopening of the candle company will be held Saturday. There will be candles available using Diane's recipes to make at least 53 scents, over 250 fragrances of individual wax melts and about 50 soaps. The name, Elida Candle Company, will remain the same. "I think it will be great for Findlay," said Amanda. "People seem very excited that it's continuing on."