With the arrival of spring comes the arrival of new life on the island.
As a sea of yellow daffodils burst through the soil, stretching out to the welcome sunshine, and new-born lambs prance around the fresh green fields, nothing could signify fresh beginnings more warmly than the start of spring. And at Essence of Harris, we found meaning in the new life of spring with the move into a brand new factory.
After months of preparation and paperwork, and having finally settled on a date to begin work, we decided to conduct a ‘Spring Clean’ on a very different scale this year. After being given the keys for a larger building on the island, we started the huge task of renovating, equipping and designing our new candle-making factory, whilst gradually packing up our much-loved Buth Bheag Candle Co, turned Essence of Harris, unit.
Our new factory is a building just outside the village of Tarbert, which had been lying unused and empty for just over three years. So, as you can imagine, we had to give it some much-needed 'TLC' before we moved ourselves in.
The work begins!
After clearing everything out of the building, it was given a lick of paint from top-to-bottom, inside and out, and kitted out with brand new Essence of Harris signs- making the whole place start to feel like home! Jamie and Deenie’s vision for the new building was to create a warm, friendly and inviting factory; a place where they could hold interactive days, allowing locals and tourists alike to join in the candle-making fun, and a space where they could invite stockists and corporate guests to understand the Essence of Harris journey further. And so, the ‘Scent Experience’ room was designed. With handmade furniture designed by us and created by Jonathan Rowe (in conjunction with the Stornoway Saw Mill), and a soothing Seilebost image to set the tone, our scenting room was complete.
The ‘Scent Experience’ Room
We were moving right in the middle of candle crazy, with Mother’s Day orders and our 25% off Spring Deal, so we knew the move needed to be well-planned, quick and relatively pain-free! It took a lot of hard work from the whole Essence of Harris team (and a few friendly helpers!), but we did it- and we’re feeling so proud of ourselves and the business itself.
We moved into our original factory in October 2015, and having a space (outside of Jamie and Deenie’s kitchen table!) where we could pour candles, helped pave the way for the business to grow into the bustling, happy candle company it is today. We shared birthdays, candle-making parties, and hen do’s in our old unit, and it will always be a place which will hold happy, and very special memories for us all.
However, as the first candle-pour in the new factory happened this week, we remind ourselves of the exciting times ahead of us all. We’ve been on an incredible journey so far, and we can’t wait to see what the next chapter holds for us here at the brand new Essence of Harris candle factory.
The first pour in the factory, and welcoming MSP Alasdair Allan and local Councillor John Mitchell in to inspect all the hard work
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