The inspiration behind Durby x Ellen Candle Co. comes from founder Kayla Rivera’s grandparents.
Married for 50 years, Durby Mayfield and Ruth Ellen Mayfield instilled the meaning of support, love and family into the foundation of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Durby x Ellen Candle Co. began in 2021 as a way to help Rivera cope with the missing her grandfather, who passed in 2010, and accepting the new reality that their grandmother’s Alzheimer’s brought to her family’s lives.
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“10% of those sales go to the Alzheimer’s Association. Feedback has been pretty good for sure. A lot of people tend to stock up when they stop by. I would say right now of my signature collection my top seller would be ‘Ol Little Girly,” said Rivera.
“Then for my fall collection, it would be the Cozy Mornings which is an expresso nutmeg vanilla. People tend to like coffee a lot.”
A lot of the candles’ scents pay homage to the memories that she will always hold near and dear.
Rivera is one of 12+ grandchildren of Durby Mayfield and Ruth Ellen Mayfield and recently got into the art of candle making.
She believes it is the science and using her bare hands to create something small that makes a big impact.
This is something that both of her grandparents exuded, as her grandmother was an elementary school teacher and her grandfather was an auto mechanic. This process has been both emotional and therapeutic for Rivera, but deciding to name this business after them is her way of honoring them and cherishing memories that will always be with her.
Durby x Ellen Candle Co.’s fall collection recently launched and features candles, wax melts and reed diffusers.
Their products are vegan, toxic-free and phthalate-free.
This minority business highlight was composed by Jade Jackson at the Indianapolis Recorder, who can be reached at (317) 762-7853 or via email at JadeJ@IndyRecorder.com.
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