BUSINESS – continued
Craig practices creative chemistry as he painstakingly perfects every recipe.
Karla places candle wicks tested for durability and consistency.
High quality ingredients and just the right fragrance oils capture the region’s essence.
to promote local vendors. Their first wholesale order came from Loco Espress Coffee House and Boutique in Brainerd, followed by an order to MN Traders Co. in Pequot Lakes. More stores followed. Last year, a buyer from Bachmann’s saw their candles and ordered some for the fall and winter seasons. “He came back again this summer and said they were popular, and they want to do it again,” Karla says. “I was so excited when I got that email.” The Axelsons make everything—including the labels— in their shop at their home on the old McKay Dairy Farm. “That’s where all the fun happens. That’s where we do everything,” says Craig. He handles the chemistry and creation; Karla joins him after work to help with the finishing, PR, and paperwork. Their skills complement each other, and sharing the business “adds a new dimension and richness to the marriage,” says Karla. Because it’s just the two of them, they can be creative and flexible with their roles. “Craig was hunting one weekend, and I decided to experiment with a body balm. He took that and perfected it. We sell a body spray now, and that was my thing. I come up with ideas. He’s the one who puts it into action. I thought we should have a beard balm for men. He perfected it.” “It took eight months on that,” says Craig. His perfect day in the shop unfolds when everything is laid out ahead of time and goes as planned, beginning to end. “It’s not difficult,” he says, “but you have to have all
Candle making has been a fascination of Craig’s since he was a child. When he and Karla got together in 2017—a second marriage for them both—candle making gave their blended families a fun activity to share at the holidays. “Craig would order all the goodies—wax and oil and jars and fragrance oils. The kids picked out the oils for their own candles. Craig would usually do the pouring.” Everyone walked away with their own creation, and often gave them as gifts, too. The Axelsons’ candles were a big hit. Then their kids started saying maybe they should start selling candles and make a go of it. Craig’s work as an electrician had taken its toll physically, and he was considering scaling back. Candle making paved the way for that option. Karla could bring her expertise in public relations and marketing, which she does full-time with Brainerd Public Schools. The Axelsons took the leap and, in December 2020, launched Sugarberry Creek Candle Co. Karla recalls the two of them sitting together at the kitchen table and the fear she felt posting the first time on social media. “I do this all the time for work, but it was different to market ourselves,” she recalls. They’ve come a long way in just four years. The couple sells at local events and maintains direct- to-customer sales through their website. They’ve recently begun teaching a candle making class. Their biggest success has been wholesale orders from area businesses seeking
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20 | FEBRUARY / MARCH 2025
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