About

Many of you, our loyal customers, have been around for long enough to know a bit of our story, but for those who don't, welcome to Beckley Candles (formerly Beckley's Best Blends). We are now a second-generation, small-town, family business, established in 1999. My name is Amanda, my daughter Cecelia (CeCe) is always by my side helping, mostly by bringing in customers with her adorable little smile that no one can pass up. 

My parents, Joe and Marie, began making candles when I was 11 years old, so I grew up helping with parts of the candle process and going to shows. I knew that one day I wanted to eventually take over my parents' business once they were ready to retire, unfortunately, that isn't how it happened.

On June 26, 2020, my family's world changed when my dad, Joe, died by suicide at the age of 55, after a long battle with depression, caused by the surfacing of repressed memories of childhood sexual abuse by a family member. He fought his battle privately for many years before sharing with Mom, who kept his secret until his death. We all knew Dad was going through something, but we had attributed it to the death of his father, he was very good at keeping us from seeing the extent of his pain and suffering. His death shook our world to its core. If only he could have known the impact of his life on so many people.

I had been living in a van on the beaches of Maui when I woke to the news. I immediately returned home to help care for Mom, who was hardly functioning with the weight of her grief. When she was ready to open the candle business back up after Dad's passing, I was by her side helping run the business. It took the help of many family members and friends to try and fill Dad's shoes, especially in those first months. Over the next few years, I helped Mom run the business, making candles and going to shows.

Mom began not feeling well in the second half of 2022, though I believe it began long before that. Grief can wreak havoc on your body, causing many illnesses, and in my heart, I know that to be my mom's truth. When we were able to convince her to see a doctor, she was diagnosed with cancer. We lost her 6 brutal months later on December 29, 2023 at the age of 55. 

I find some peace in believing that Mom and Dad are together once again where they belong, but the pain of missing them is too large to soothe. We have just learned to live with the hole in our hearts. Unfortunately, Mom was not able to stay with us long enough to meet my daughter, who I was pregnant with at the time. I have been able to find comfort in the belief that both Mom and Dad were able to know my sweet girl, to hold her and love her, before she came to me. I named her Cecelia Joelene after them both (Mom's first name was Cecelia). She will grow up in the candle shop just like I did, and maybe one day she will carry on the family business as the 3rd generation.

This was written by Mom (Marie) a few years back, but I think it is nice for customers to be able to see where Beckley Candles (formerly Beckley's Best Blends) started.

Our business was born entirely on accident. It was 1999. My husband, Joe and I have six kids between the two of us. Extra money wasn’t easy to come by – especially for a family on a budget (and when I say budget, I’m using that term broadly.)

Though I never knew there was a word for it, I’ve always practiced the Danish way of life, hygge, which includes lots of candlelight. Since candles weren’t in our weekly budget, Joe suggested that perhaps they could be if I learned to make my own. And so I did.

At first, it was only for ourselves, but as I gained confidence and got better at the process, I began to make gifts for friends and family. I was working a factory job at the time, so there were plenty of potential customers, all around me. And like that word spread, I began taking orders, and Beckley’s Best Blends (though it would be a couple of years before we took our show on the road.)

Our business has grown with time, but it’s still just the two of us. Joe and I are truly a team. He is the full-time candle maker/producer now, and I’m in charge of all administrative duties, as well as customer service. Joe makes the candles, ships the candles, and does all the heavy lifting/loading. I do everything office related; scheduling, ordering, website, etc.

Every business has its landmarks, and so does ours. For us, the three major milestones were:

• Going full-time. Joe was already a self-employed contractor. Since his work was mostly seasonal it was an easy switch for him. And I never looked back once I left my corporate job. Leaving the security of a full-time position with benefits was scary, but I have never regretted that decision. It was getting up the nerve to make the jump from employee to self-employed, that caused my anxiety. Joe, who has never had to punch a time-clock, kept reminding me that everything would be fine, and he was right!
• Starting a website. Our first website went live in 2004 – that opened new doors and allowed our customers the ability to reorder, which was a tremendous step for our growth.
• Hiring bookkeepers. This could be the single best thing we ever did — for my sanity. :)

Our motto is ‘Lighten up!’ and our tagline is ‘Get Lit!’ We want our customers to have a unique experience when they walk into our booth. We hope to serve as a reminder to not take life so seriously. We know we have succeeded when we hear the laughter erupt! Our mason jar style is so versatile it fits with any decor: farmhouse, vintage, primitive, contemporary, modern, shabby chic.

Though we love our way of life, running a business may be demanding. One of the biggest challenges we’ve had has been letting go of what’s not working. I’m a creative at heart and am always coming up with new ideas. Thank God Joe is the complete opposite. We balance each other out. Ying-Yang. So, in essence, our biggest challenges have always been to listen to each other and find a solution together. Letting go of the need to be right and putting the customer’s needs first. Being of service always wins.

We’re often asked how we manage to work and live together. That has never been an issue for us; we are rarely apart. We practice what we preach: we look for opportunities to laugh more and lighten up. We’ve learned to listen to each other and have let go of the ‘hustle’ mentality. Joe is an avid fisherman, and I’m a photographer. We both love the outdoors, and that gets put on the schedule — ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE — when planning our year. PERIOD. Making sure we have time for our hobbies and each other — away from the candle shop — is our top priority. Putting the big rocks in the bucket first is the key to [our] success.

xo,

Marie & Joe