This is the eighteenth article in a Vendor Profile Series intended to share the history and diversity of the Market through the stories of our vendors, as we celebrate our 25th Season. This article is written by journalist Barry Courter.
It took someone else to remind Emily Warr that she has taken an arduous, but highly productive route to business success since starting The Rustic House candles in 2013. She has guided the business from its humble beginnings in her garage in North Chattanooga to a brand that sells online, at markets across the country, and in retail outlets such as Elders Ace Hardware.
Like many others, she got an early start at the Chattanooga Market, but today has perhaps the largest footprint of any of her fellow vendors.
“Goodness, that's ...thank you, because I did not realize that. You're in it for 12 years, you forget sometimes how to stop and be like, 'Man, that was your dream, and that's accomplished.' Yeah, you really do. It all runs together. So yeah, I started in the garage in 2013, here offW Bell Ave on the North Shore. And that was in a single-car garage.”
Rustic House has experienced double-digit growth every year from the start of 2013 until 2020, she says, adding that it doubled again thatyear.
Rustic House sells glass container candles, wax melts, travel tin candles, and some accessories through their website @www.ShopRusticHouse.com as well as at several Chattanooga Markets, local retail partners, and Elder's Ace Hardware.
She says her success is due to years of R&D on the product itself, specifically the scents (all nature-inspired), burn performance, and simplicity of the branding.
“We try to keep the brand classic and timeless, and don't get stuck on trends,” Emily says. “Less is more, and the product should speak for itself. We remove harsh chemicals and have no dyes or additives in our products. We work closely with our chemists to remove all known allergens, so that they are pleasant for all people with sensitivities towards 'most candles'."
In year two, she split the operation between producing her candles in an apartment space next door and using the garage for inventory. The next year, she got accepted into the Small Business Development Center in North Chattanooga and moved into a 1,300-square-foot space, paying $1 a square foot.
While she loved having the space, she says she also benefited from having counselors there who could help guide and advise her. It's a three-year program, and when that ended, she moved into a 3,000 square-foot warehouse space in Hixson about two months before COVID hit.
Since starting the company, the Chattanooga Market provided her a place to sell her candles and to meet people, but with that no longer an option, she turned to the internet and found a whole new customer base. While the business grew, it was very difficult times for Emily, she says.
“It was really a challenging year to be honest, because it was first off scary moving into a real rent space” with triple the rent and then having to “scramble to meet customers' expectations and shift to all online.
“And, I started this company because I love providing people with a handcrafted product that's sole purpose is to bring people joy. I love the markets and talking to our customers, connecting with them through the power of scent, and hearing their stories. So that was a whole different game sitting behind a computer and selling online.
“It's just a whole different business world, especially for someone who likes to get out there and talk to people and connect in person.”
Emily's local success started because of an early marketing decision for her business. When she started Rustic House, she offered $2 off for anyone who returned the candle container when it was finished.
“I did it to get feedback from returning customers, but also to get our local scene involved in the recycling program.”
She continues the program today, and in front of their new location (in the iFixIt building off of 12th Street in Onion Bottom Station) is a drop-off box with cards for how to receive the discount towards their next purchase.
The glass jars are recycled locally with Overlooked Materials, which crushes them for reuse into local building materials.
Emily says that in the past few years, she began offering customers the chance to put a label or design on the candles for an even more personalized gift option, and today she offers discounted bulk sales for things like birthdays, wedding party gifts, realtors, and client gifts.
Regular Rustic House customers will know that Emily takes the bulk of the summer offer from the market in part because she is busy stockpiling her fall line, but also because the candles don't handle the heat very well.
And, while she says the bulk of her business now comes from other places, she says the Chattanooga Market is a special place for her.
“It's the heartbeat of our company, and where it all started."
“I love love love the market staff and all they do to help make our market so unique and special! Chris, Melissa, Brandy, and all the people up front who have been there for years. They've helped shape my dream into a reality, and I am forever grateful for them and our local market family."
