Photo by Keith Stewart
Tyler Mosier, Timmy Valentine, and John Stephens (L-R) recently opened the Astoria Company Store, which features homemade soy candles, lotions, soaps, and more. Astoria is located on the first floor of the Harrison Street Inn, in Sullivan.

Local soy leads to candle business

by Christina Whitford
Sullivan Reporter

It’s hard not to notice the aroma in the air when traveling through the Decatur area. But who would imagine that the source of that scent could produce such a beautifully fragrant soy candle. One Sullivan resident saw the potential and ran with it.

After his mother gave him a soy candle as a gift, John Stephens became impressed at the difference between the soy and regular candles. He found that the soy candles did not have the black smoke billowing out, they were much more fragrant, and they lasted longer. It was then that Stephens started putting together items from his own kitchen to create his own soy candle line.      Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.