What do you do in a pandemic when you’re feeling unfulfilled in your current employment? That’s right, you quit the job, start a small business you love, and through hard work, you move on to opening a shop in the centre of town!
The pandemic gave us all a very unique outlook on our lives, it let us reflect on where we were, what we wanted and what ultimately mattered to us.
This was the dilemma facing Stone resident Beth Warren at the end of 2020 as the UK entered its second lockdown. It was from this reflection that Beth gave herself a metaphorical kick up the ass as she launched “The Wandering Bee – making kick-ass kind candles, handcrafted from beer bottles.”
We caught up with Beth to hear about the journey from an idea to opening a High Street shop 18 months later!
Beth told A Little Bit of Stone what brought her to just go for it!
“During the pandemic in December 2020, I was feeling unfilled in my current employment and felt like I was ready to set up her own business.
Through discussions with my partner, Josh, I decided to try out making candles with a difference, and I set about creating – The Wandering Bee.
I loved the idea of making sustainable handcrafted products from home, and after a few months, the business really began to take off.
By June 2021, I was at the point where I was able to quit my job within the NHS and throw myself in full time with The Wandering Bee.”
You may have seen and heard of The Wandering Bee at a number of local markets, but Beth’s candles have gone much further and wider than Stone with Beth telling us:
“Since launching The Wandering Bee we have been able to sell our kick-ass kind candles in some incredible places, including John Lewis, World of Wedgwood, Oxford Street and Shoreditch.
We’ve also partnered with several local brands, such as Sandon Hall and Chester Zoo.
We are also incredibly proud to have won the Klarna Sustainable Business Award, becoming one of their featured listed shops.”
Beth went on to explain a bit more about her background and the business she had created.
“We’re really proud to be a small family-run business based in Stone. There’s me my partner Josh and our four-year-old daughter Callow. We also have one member of staff, Jenny.
I was born and raised in Stone before moving to London to study Contemporary Media Practice at the University of Westminster. This was where I met Josh, who was studying at the same university but in Graphic Communication & Design.
After five years of living in the big smoke, we moved back to my hometown of Stone, which was a big change for Josh as he had always lived in London, but thankfully he loves it!
Shortly after moving back to Stone we had baby Callow and I was working in the NHS as a Dental Receptionist whilst Josh was and still is working as a Professional Graphic Designer.”
When it comes to choosing a place to set up your business, your home town has to be an obvious choice, doesn’t it? Beth told us:
“Choosing Stone as the home for our business was a no-brainer, we live around the corner from the High Street but also their biggest base of customers is within the local area.
Stone is also just the most beautiful town to live and work in, I just couldn’t imagine starting the ’shop front’ side of the business anywhere else!
I’ve chosen the old Scrivens Opticians shop down Adies Alley as I think it’s just a really cute, quirky and quaint part of the town.
The building we’re in is perfect to be able to have a shop front and also a production space to the side. It means people will be able to actually see us making the products and they can then go on to buy them.
I also love that we have such lovely neighbours in Nick at Griffins Butchers and the ladies at the Secret Tearooms!”
Going on to add:
“In our little shop, you’ll be able to physically see us handcraft your kick-ass kind candles, from getting the beer bottle to splitting it, sanding it down, pouring with wax and boxing it up.
We’re hoping to offer a range of handcrafted products from beer bottle candles to artwork, prints, planters and terrariums.
Our business has run solely online for the past year and a half, and we are planning to continue offering online sales for those not able to get in store.”
With a busy town centre, we asked Beth what will make Wandering Bee stand out from the crowd. :
“I think our shop will be a great addition to Stone as it’s something a bit different and unique.
I like that we will be able to give people the chance to shop sustainable products that are handmade in Stone from locally sourced materials.
We’ll also be offering candle refills too, so it’ll be great for our local customers to be able to bring back their candle glass and get them refilled with their favourite scents!
I am most excited to be able to be forward-facing with my customers. For the past year, we have been based at the World of Wedgwood, which has been an incredible experience, but I have really missed being able to chat with my customers face to face.
I can’t wait for my customers to be able to shop at The Wandering Bee in-store and I get to physically see their reactions to new scents and products.”
The Wandering Bee is due to open on Saturday the 3rd of September 2022.
Opening hours will be:
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday: 10-5
- Wednesday: 10-5
- Thursday: 10-5
- Friday: 10-5
- Saturday: 10-3
- Sunday: Closed
You can follow them online at:
- Instagram – @_thewanderingbee
- Facebook – @TheWanderingBeeShop
- Website – www.the-wanderingbee.com
