BEAN BLOSSOM — A gas station, a bed and breakfast, a storage building and now a stop on State Road 135 North to find something unique and eccentric.
Mother-daughter duo Helen Ellis and Chris Blevins opened Moon Acres Candle Company on April 1, next to Blevins’ home on 135 North.
It had been a dream of Blevins’ to move to Brown County and also have a workspace that she could walk to each day.
Then two years ago, it all started to fall into place. She and her husband purchased a home just north of Brownie’s Family Restaurant and Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church.
On the property was a building that had been a gas station in the 1940s. The home had been a bed and breakfast. What is now Moon Acres was the storage. The duo also believe it was a furniture shop at some point.
“We’ve heard all kinds of stories. We don’t know what’s what,” Blevins said. “It’s been used quite a bit.”
Now its purpose is a place for the team to sell their handcrafted candles as well as unique finds from estate sales, yard sales and more. After crafting a product they said they thought was worthy of putting on shelves, they were ready to open the doors.
Blevins had always done craft shows and had merchandise in stores belonging to others, but never her own space. Both Ellis and Blevins were born in New Jersey, but have always been drawn to Brown County.
Blevins’ distant relatives are Brown County artist Will Vawter and Colonel John Vawter, a founder of Morgantown.
“I’ve got a little bit of roots down here,” she said.
They started working on Moon Acres candles during COVID and “grew with it,” Ellis said. They now sell 42 different scents, including a candle collection inspired by wines, like cabernet, merlot and sangria. There is also a Harry Potter-themed set with butterbeer, pumpkin juice and chocolate frog scents.
They add charms to the candles as well with each one reflecting the “theme” of the candle it decorates. There’s a bee charm on a honeysuckle candle, a “Namaste” pose on their “Zen” candle and more. They’re also working on wax melts to add to their shop.
Ellis had a shop in Greenwood years ago called Lady Victoria’s Tea Room and Gift shop. “That was kind of like our beginning. But that was a long time ago,” she said. “We always talked about ‘someday, one day’ — here we are.”
Antiques, crafts, vintage items, up-cycled furniture and more are what often strikes Blevins and Ellis, so that is the merchandise they aim to find and sell.
A portion of the building is currently dedicated to storage, but next month, they’re planning on opening a mercantile in the space. They’ll sell candy, snacks and more with a goal to feature handmade goods from female-owned businesses that hand-make small batches.
“Our goal is to keep everything within the same theme: Handmade and unique,” Ellis said.
“It’s a lot of work, but we’re getting there,” Blevins said.
Blevins said that shoppers can expect to find an “eclectic mix,” seeing something different with each visit.
“It’ll always be something new,” she said. “You just never know what you’re going to find.”
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Address: 5902 State Road 135 North
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursdays through Sundays
Contact: 317-217-0232; [email protected]
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