Pheobe Bojanzyk and her two daughters Laurie Bojanzyk and Melissa Beznitz have owned the Davisburg Candle Factory for 13 years. This summer, business has really started to pick up for them.
One reason ? they make candles for the Union Woodshop restaurant in Clarkston.
The factory is housed in the center of downtown Davisburg. The building was built in the 1850’s and started as a general store. Since then, the building has been home to a Masonic temple and a church. At one point, movies were shown on the outside of the building.
In the early 70’s,Charlie Going started the original Davisburg Candle Factory. It was originally in a building a couple doors down, but when that building burnt down, he moved his business to a building on Dixie Highway. Eventually the business moved to the current building. After moving into its current location, Going designed the taper line for the candles using bicycle sprockets and roller-blade wheels.
Bojanzyk said owning the factory for 13 years has not been easy. For awhile the business was ‘just hanging in there? but this summer that changed.
The amount of candles they are making in the summer, usually their off-season, has been ‘unreal.? With the candles for the Union Woodshop and a new partnership with a business in New York that sells to Saks 5th Avenue, they have had their hands full. In fact, if business keeps up at this rate, they will need to hire holiday help for the first time.
Even though business has been difficult at times, Bojnazyk really enjoys the factory. Her favorite part, she said, is ‘working with my daughters. We’ve got to know each other as people and co-workers.?
They make custom candles in any color, as well as stock candles. In addition, everything they use to make their candles is made in the USA.
‘If people burned our candles, they would know why we’re still in business,? Laurie said.
The candles burn longer and cleaner than others you buy from a store.
To learn more about the factory, visit their website at www.candlefactorymi.com.