High Country Candles: Shaping Community Connections for 30 Years

A walk down main street in Blowing Rock would not be complete without a visit to High Country Candles and Blowing Rock Pottery, located in the historic Martin House. Visitors and homefolk alike have found the unique shop to be more than the perfect place to pick up the perfect gift for any occasion. Many recognize the family-owned and operated business to be a “connection” to the High Country area.

By Sherrie Norris

Just as they have shaped and crafted their candles and pottery through the years with great care and precision, owners Larry and Cyndi Ziegler have worked hard to forge relationships within the shop — and throughout the town and surrounding area that welcomed them into the fold many years ago.

Since 1994, the Zieglers have been hand pouring, dipping and carving wax in the historic village; more recently, the addition of Larry’s pottery has added a new dimension to their already quaint corner shop, where thousands of visitors stop in each year.

Such was the case recently when Zachary and Jasmine Whitmeyer from Prineville, Oregon, were making their first stop at the shop, taking turns getting a whiff of the many candles therein and admiring the handiwork of the pottery. On their first trip to Blowing Rock, which was in fact, their first trip to the east coast, the young couple was enthralled not only by the products found in the corner shop, but also by the warm welcome they received.

In the early days, Larry hones his skills at the carved candles that helped the couple get their start. Photo submitted.

Nothing is more satisfying than making beautiful, useful things with our own hands — unless it is meeting and talking with those who enter our doors.

– Cyndi Ziegler

The Zieglers were both on hand to chat with the Whitmeyers, explaining a little about their candles and pottery.

High Country Candles, located in the historic Martin House on Main Street in Blowing Rock, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Photo by Sherrie Norris. 

“We have 80 different fragrances we use to scent our handcrafted jar candles, pillars and votives,” Cyndi was overheard explaining, as Larry shared information about the pottery he creates in his home-based studio. 

Afterward, Cyndi could be heard describing to others the process of  how their candle-making journey began — with pouring, dipping and sculpting carved ribbon candles, which they still make today in a wide variety of styles and colors. 

“We hand-pour our pillar candles right here in the store. This is our factory,” she explained, pointing to a rather small workspace, visible to those inside the store, as well as to others peaking in from the sidewalk.

“Nothing is more satisfying than making beautiful, useful things with our own hands — unless it is meeting and talking with those who enter our doors,” Cyndi added.

Their jar candles, made with richly hued dyes, scented oils and the best wax available, are blended by hand in small batches, Cyndi said, “to ensure the longest fragrance retention and a beautiful appearance.”

After two decades of making candles, the Zielgers decided it was time to try something new. And so it was, that in  2012, they began making pottery — and Blowing Rock Pottery was born. A wide variety of mugs, bowls, vases and more blend nicely with the large selection of candles currently available in the store. A few more locally-made crafts by other artists have also found their way to the shelves through the years.

From Humble Beginnings

It’s “kinda funny” that the duo wound up in this small-town area of Boone and Blowing Rock, said Cyndi, describing both Larry and herself as “big city people;” she hailing from Miami and he from Kansas. After moving here, Cyndi remembers asking herself, “What have we done?” But, years later, the what and why became clear.

And their candle making?  “It started earlier, almost by accident,” she recalled.

“We were in Miami, helping a friend make candles to sell at a mall during Christmas,” Cyndi said. “I was a teacher at the time, but I eventually decided to quit teaching to help my friend.” 

The challenge was real, however. “In Miami in the middle of the summer, we were making candles in her garage, which wasn’t air conditioned —and we were both pregnant at the time!”

Then, Cyndi’s husband, Larry, got involved and also began helping. “It came so naturally for him . . .  he has a knack for making and doing things. He just didn’t know that, back then.”

The friend’s technique was carving waxed candles. “That was our introduction to what we do now,” Cyndi said. “We helped her and her husband, off and on for about two years, when they set up at a mall or craft show. And eventually, for about five years, Larry worked for a family member of theirs who also had a candle business. Somewhere in the middle of all that, Larry realized that he wanted to do it on his own.”

If  we  wanted  to inspire anyone with our story – and we do – it would be for people to recognize how important  other people are in their lives. We wouldn’t be here 30  years later if it weren’t for the people who helped us along the way.

– Cyndi Ziegler

While not the most stable employment situation at the time, the Zieglers admitted, they did learn a lot about running a business, and despite the obstacles they faced, they believed they were on the right track.

“As I’ve thought back over the years of our history, and our shop, the only thing I keep coming back to, over and over again, is how many people have helped us get to where we are today,” said Cyndi. “When you are making your own products, and needing financial assistance, if you do not have a brick and mortar backing, you learn very quickly that  banks don’t want to loan you money.”

Unable to obtain funding for a candle business, it was while Larry was managing a business for someone else in a large tourist town, that their break-through arrived.

Cyndi describes: “Larry was eating lunch with a local businessman one day who could tell that he (Larry) had something on his mind. When the man asked him what it was, Larry told him that we wanted to start a candle business, but we could not get funding. The next day, Larry went down there to eat lunch again and the man handed him a check. ‘I’ve seen what you do,’ the man told him, “And I have faith in you – pay me back when you can (with an agreed amount of interest).”

It’s this “people connection” the Zieglers agree, that is such an important part of their story.

“If we wanted to inspire anyone with our story – and we do – it would be for people to recognize how important  other people are in their lives. We wouldn’t be here 30 years later if it weren’t for the people who helped us along the way.”

And The Waxing Begins

The Zieglers started out on their own with a small booth at a South Carolina mall during Christmas, near the home of Cyndi’s aunt and uncle. “They offered for us to live with them; otherwise, it would have been very difficult for us.”

In December 1993, the Zieglers moved to the High Country and secured a business location at the Martin House.

“When we moved up here, there were several established business owners, and everyone was nice to us, but the people who really took us in, welcomed us and encouraged us, were Rogers and Jo McGee, the folks who owned the dulcimer shop in town. We came to know them as Papaw Rogers and Mama Jo – they considered us their family. Our kids were little at the time and that dear couple was such a big part of helping us make a connection here.”

While he prefers to spend most of his time in his home-based pottery studio, Larry Ziegler still enjoys coming  to work at the candle shop. Photo by Sherrie Norris.

And the employees they hired? “We couldn’t have made it without other young adults and several beautiful college students who worked for us. We’ve had them from eight  or nine months and as long as six to eight years.” 

There is a thread of humanity here, of people coming alongside each other, Cyndi emphasized. And the customers? “We would not have survived through the years, and especially during the pandemic, without the support of our community. People who visited this town contributed to a fund, donating thousands upon thousands of dollars, because they didn’t want  small business owners to lose their livelihood. We had to apply for it – but we got money to help us through, and for that, we are forever grateful.”

It’s not about the money, for us. Whether a child walks in with no money, or someone comes in with a lot of money, we treat them the same. That was early on – it’s what God was trying to tell me – it’s about the people – not about the money.

– Cyndi Ziegler
Emma Walker, left, and Becca Stickler, right, work well together on the pillar candles, which they and their coworkers agree are the most challenging of all the candles to make. Photo by Sherrie Norris.

The shop was officially closed for 2½ months during that time, but  they still received calls for candles. “We practiced social distancing, and brought the items ordered out to the cars for our customers. We also offered to ship anything at a flat rate of $10, but most people wanted a good excuse to come to Blowing Rock.”

One customer, they recalled, added a generous amount to her order’s cost, and was adamant that they keep it.

“Yes, we’ve worked hard, but what I see is the goodness of God through people who may or may not even know that’s what they were doing. And our suppliers are just a family of connections that we have made through the years, too. I dare say that just about any business owner who managed to stay in business through that difficult time doesn’t has a similar story.”

More Than A Family Affair

And, now, they’re seeing a new generation coming on. 

“We’ve been here so long that kids who were 6 and 7 running into watch us, are now bringing in their kids to watch us make candles.”

One, in particular recently came in, Cyndi said. “She told me that she planned their family trip here because her daughter said, ‘We have to go to that candle shop that you always talked about.’ 

Her daughter was 20 . . .that’s really huge, right?”

And there are many more similar stories she could tell.

Early on, it was very hard, especially in the off-seasons when few people came to Blowing Rock. “Selling candles was our only income. We had no family to fall back on and winters were very hard. We didn’t really make money until October — and then that had to carry us through the winter.”

It was in those “lean” days, Cyndi said, that she began to realize that she was in a “give and take situation.”

 “Sometimes people are going to provide you with resources, and you are going to accept what they offer – and other times, people come in and do not buy anything, but you have to give something to them.”

Case in point, in the dead of winter, a woman named Gracie came in out of the cold, asking if she could ‘hang out’ in the shop. “I feel at peace in here,” she said. 

Following a brief conversation, with Cyndi telling her she loved the name Gracie, and explaining what Grace meant in the Biblical sense, Cyndi encouraged the woman to read the book of John in the Bible. The woman’s reply that she used to read the Bible, but didn’t anymore, “Because I’ve been so bad.” 

“I told her not to read the whole thing, just find the book of John. Pretend you are following Jesus around, and you will understand how God looks at you.” 

The visitor asked if she could make a private phone call in the other room. 

“All I heard her say was, ‘I’m fine – I wanted you to know that I’m OK,’ Then she left.”

The woman returned six months later and asked Cyndi if she remembered her. “Yes, I told her, you are Gracie. Her sister was with her; they bought a candle and left. Three hours later, Gracie came back in and whispered to me, ‘That first day I was in here was the day I was going to take my life.’”

It was during those days, Cyndi recalled, they were struggling. “We  had to make money to pay our bills; we couldn’t afford employees and I wasn’t sure if we were even going to make it, but I learned a valuable lesson. It’s not about the money, for us. Whether a child walks in with no money, or someone comes in with a lot of money, we treat them the same. That was early on – it’s what God was trying to tell me – it’s about the people – not about the money.”

The lessons continued, but so did God’s grace.

The Zieglers have “lots of cool history to look back on and be grateful for,” Cyndi added. “Our three kids have worked in our business at one time or another – especially Luke, who help was so valuable. Now, they are pursuing their own careers in writing, sales and cooking. I think their experiences growing up in a family business have helped them succeed in what they are doing now.”

Since 2012, Larry Ziegler’s pottery has been a nice addition to the other handmade products found in the quaint Blowing Rock candle shop. Photo by Sherrie Norris.

Beyond The Challenges 

The economic downturn in 2007-08 hit hard, Cyndi shared. “I ran the business while Larry did handy-man jobs. It was demanding, but there has always been provision.” 

When asked to elaborate on what they consider the best advice for a successful business, the Zieglers did not hesitate to respond: “Provide your best product, as well as the best possible customer service; be there when you say you will and don’t quit. We tell new business owners this a lot – and we see that it works. There’s way more to success than simply the business aspect.”

When they opened their shop three decades ago, they had five candles on the shelf. 

“At that time, we were just making elaborate, ribbony-candles. Within a couple of years, because of my husband, a thinker, (he’s always doing something and thinking about how to do it better at the same time,) we began to expand. Larry has an engineering mind, I am more creative with colors, designs, etc.” (Opposite in gifts, talents and personalities, the Ziegler couple agree that they balance each other very well.)

And, so it was that the couple developed an entire line of scented jar and pillar candles. And today, they offer those candles and so much more. 

The Zieglers began their candle-making journey by pouring, dipping and sculpting these carved ribbon candles, a product they still make today in a wide variety of styles and colors. Photo courtesy of High Country Candles.

Larry always wanted to take a pottery class, so “about a dozen years ago,” he completed not one, but two, classes at App State’s Craft Enrichment Center. 

“When he went for the third class, he was basically told that he needed to get his own kiln and wheel and start his own thing,” Cyndi said. 

For the last 10 years, he’s been doing just that and the business evolved into the combined High Country Candles and Blowing Rock Pottery.

“I’m here at the shop every day with a crew of lovely girls, and a couple of women closer to my age – and Larry is really glad to be in the pottery studio in our basement at home, mostly alone, working on his pottery.” 

Currently, Becca Stickler, one the candle shop employees who is an art student, enjoys working with Larry in his studio. “He loves working one-on-one with students, investing in their artistic skills and career.”

Mentoring is a gift that both Larry and Cyndi recognize and appreciate in each other.

Others who have been taken under the Zieglers’ wings and currently working in the candle shop, include manager, Diane Stroud, who Cyndi describes as “the glue that holds us together;” Betsy Harris, a retired  biology professor from App State works in the shop and  does a lot behind the scenes with shipping, etc. “I call us three ladies the more mature crew; our young’uns, Deidre Durham, Emma Walker and Becca Stickler, are all very talented and do a little of everything, from making candles to stocking and  sales.”

It’s important to be purposeful as mentors. What we are doing now, investing in these young lives, will be passed on years from now.

– Cyndi Ziegler

“It’s important,” Cyndi stressed ,  “to be purposeful as mentors. What we are doing now, investing in these young lives, will be passed on years from now.” At the same time, the employees agree that the shop is a “special place to work,” calling it “a warm and inviting family atmosphere.” 

And another important part of their success has been with their suppliers, the Zieglers admit. “We have 30 years of history with most of them and have enjoyed a good working relationship, especially with some of our old suppliers of raw products – wax, glass jars, pigments, etc. — all the things that go into the process.”

Diane Stroud pours the wax as she and Diedre Durham finish up a new batch of jar candles. Photo by Sherrie Norris.

And as growth usually dictates, the business has recently required equipment upgrades to keep up with increasing demands.

Continuing to Make Connections

Investing in other business connections has been “kinda fun, too,” the Zieglers admit. “You have to do that. People who come back, year after year, don’t want to see the same old things. We’re always rearranging and thinking of ways to do things differently.” 

With that in mind, working with a few local crafters has been good, too, they said. 

“We have added a few things through the years, and in particular the woodworking creations of  Richard Campbell who learned the art from his maternal grandfather, and started Avodah – which in  Hebrew means, ‘When you work, you serve.’”

Again, Cyndi acknowledged, “I enjoy making connections with other people that have their own small cottage industries. I feel that we’re encouraging other people and their passions.”

The shop also began a “refill program” on their jar candles, which their regular customers appreciate.

“When customers return every three months or so, they love seeing the changes and extra things we have to offer. It’s like going to your favorite restaurant: You go and you love what you order, but you come back later and see that something new is being offered, so you want to try that, too. I get bored easily – I’m always looking for something new, and I want to make sure others have that same opportunity. That’s perhaps my greatest strength and my greatest weakness.”

Visitors also come in often, wanting to learn how to make candles, but Cyndi stressed, “We are very careful about what we say to them. We never tell people how to make candles, in case we are misunderstood. “Cyndi said, “There are all kinds of processes, different waxes, wicks and a lot of detail that would be boring to describe. It’s just something you have to see, and on most days, they can watch us here or find YouTube videos. But, one thing we will tell them is don’t ever heat your wax directly on the kitchen stove!”

Looking Forward with A Backward Glimpse

What does the future hold for the Zieglers? 

“Retirement? I don’t know,” Cyndi said. “I heard this woman, years ago on NPR, who had started a little bookstore/card shop many years earlier;  she was 90 and still going to work every day.

Someone said to her that she must love the cards and the books. She responded, ‘I love the people.’ That is so like me. I’ll be 90 and most likely still walking around the candle shop.”

We are proud of what we have been able to accomplish, but we want to make sure everyone understands that we all succeed in what we do because of people who invest in us — their wisdom, time and encouragement.

– Cyndi Ziegler

At the same time, the couple considers themselves “semi-retired.”

With a staff they trust to run the shop in their absence, they feel comfortable leaving, if the notion strikes.

On their first trip to Blowing Rock, Zachary and Jasmine Whitmeyer from Prineville, Oregon, take turns getting a whiff of the many fragrances at High Country Candles. Photo by Sherrie Norris.

“We were gone for five weeks in the winter and spent that time in Spain. A former student invited us to come there and wants us to grow old together. Another shop owner across the aisle from me, Katherine Lisle –is quite amazing, and keeps an eye out for us while we’re away. We can go and do and help other people, but we always have to come back to our people.”

It is a big deal to have survived 30 years in Blowing Rock, the Zieglers agree — from the early days when the struggle was real, through economic crashes, the pandemic and other challenges. “We are proud of what we have been able to accomplish, but we want to make sure everyone understands that we all succeed in what we do because of people who invest in us — their wisdom, time and encouragement.”

Cyndi paraphrases a quote that she loves, by the late Maya Angelou: “Our resources are our time; our words are incredible gifts to share with other people.” 

“All of these things,” she added, “I’ve seen happening in the history of our shop. Life is like a beautiful stream of living water that continues from person to person. We have to trust the ripples — our little rock of love makes the splash, but our trickle keeps going. We don’t have to force anything. We can look back and see what was happening, even though we didn’t know it at the time.”

High Country Candles is located at  1098-8 Main St. Blowing Rock, NC. For more information visit their website at www.highcountrycandles.net, find them on Facebook or Instagram, call (828)295-9655, or email brcandleshop@gmail.com