Glen Arbor, Michigan · Est. 2021

Light the
Lakeshore.

Organic soy candles hand-poured into recycled wine bottles,
made by a family of four on Sleeping Bear Bay.

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100% Organic Soy Wax Hand-Poured in Glen Arbor Recycled Wine Bottle Vessels Organic Cotton Wicks Family of Four Sleeping Bear Bay Small Batch No Synthetics Ever Glen Arbor Wines Partnership 100% Organic Soy Wax Hand-Poured in Glen Arbor Recycled Wine Bottle Vessels Organic Cotton Wicks Family of Four Sleeping Bear Bay Small Batch No Synthetics Ever Glen Arbor Wines Partnership

Our Story

A family, a bay,
and a bottle.

We're the Mercer family — mom, dad, and two kids who grew up spending summers on Glen Lake and watching sunsets over Sleeping Bear Bay. What started as a pandemic project on our kitchen table in 2021 became something far bigger than we ever imagined.

When our neighbor at Glen Arbor Wines mentioned she had more empty bottles than she knew what to do with, we saw an opportunity: turn something beautiful that would otherwise be recycled into something that could carry light, warmth, and the scent of home.

Every candle we make is poured by hand, in small batches, using only certified organic soy wax and organic cotton wicks. No paraffin, no synthetic fragrances, no shortcuts.

100% Organic Soy

4 Family Members

Glen
Arbor Made Here

📍 Glen Arbor, MI

Why We Do It This Way

Intentional in everything.

We believe a candle should be as clean as the air off Lake Michigan on an early morning. That means no compromise on materials, no shortcuts in process, and no pretending recycled is just a trend — it's who we are.

The bottles come from Glen Arbor Wines, our neighbor down South Lake Street. The wax is USDA certified organic. The wicks are unbleached organic cotton. The fragrances are pure essential oil blends. Everything else is our kitchen, our hands, and a lot of care.

🌿

Certified Organic Soy Wax

USDA certified, sustainably grown, burns 50% longer and cleaner than paraffin. Never any synthetic additives.

🍷

Recycled Wine Bottle Vessels

Every bottle is hand-cut from genuine Glen Arbor Wines bottles — no two are exactly alike. The labels are preserved as a keepsake.

🧵

Organic Cotton Wicks

Unbleached, lead-free organic cotton. No zinc cores, no synthetic coatings. Clean burn every time.

🏡

Family of Four, Every Batch

Every candle is poured by hand in our Glen Arbor home, inspected by our kids, and shipped with care directly to you.

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The Collection

Each candle is poured into a hand-cut recycled wine bottle from Glen Arbor Wines. Scents rotate seasonally — what's below reflects our current pour.

Most Loved

Glen Arbor Wines — Rosé

Sleeping Bear Sunset

Warm amber, sandalwood, and a hint of Michigan cherry. Poured into a Rosé bottle from Glen Arbor Wines. 50-hour burn time.

New Pour

Glen Arbor Wines — Riesling

Crystal River Morning

Fresh green tea, white cedar, and cool water. Inspired by the Crystal River flowing through town. Poured into a Riesling bottle.

Limited

Glen Arbor Wines — Pinot Noir

Dune Grass at Dusk

Wild sage, sea air, and warm driftwood. The scent of golden hour on the dunes. Deep Pinot Noir bottle vessel.

Glen Arbor Wines — Chardonnay

Glen Lake Stillness

Linen, rain, and soft birch. The calm of a still morning on the clearest lake in Northern Michigan. Chardonnay bottle vessel.

Glen Arbor Wines — Cab Franc

Fireside at The Homestead

Smoked oak, vanilla, and black cherry. Cozy as a winter evening at the lodge. Dark Cab Franc bottle vessel.

Glen Arbor Wines — Merlot

M-22 in July

Sunscreen, lake breeze, and wild blackberry. The definitive scent of a perfect Michigan summer day. Merlot bottle vessel.

"No two bottles cut the same — each one carries the mark of where it came from."

— The Mercer Family

The Vessel

Bottles from
next door.

Our candle vessels aren't purchased from a supplier. They come from Lissa at Glen Arbor Wines, just down South Lake Street — bottles that carried Leelanau Peninsula wines and would otherwise have been discarded.

Each bottle is hand-scored and cut by us, then cleaned, inspected, and wicked before pouring. The original wine labels are preserved inside as a keepsake, visible through the glass as the candle burns down.

When the candle is spent, the bottle lives on — as a bud vase, a drinking glass, or a piece of Northern Michigan to keep on your shelf.

In partnership with Glen Arbor Wines

5873 South Lake Street, Glen Arbor, MI — a tasting room, wine garden, and gathering place on Sleeping Bear Bay since the early days. Visit glenarborwines.com →

The Scents

Something for
every season.

We have a large and growing library of scents — all pure essential oil blends, no synthetic fragrance. Scents rotate with the seasons. Current and upcoming families below.

🌊

The Lake

Lake Michigan Air
Bay Water & Birch
Crystal River
Dew on Dune Grass
Storm Coming In

5 scents available

🌲

The Forest

White Pine & Cedarwood
Petoskey Stone
Maple Smoke
Trail After Rain
Wild Mushroom

5 scents available

🍒

The Harvest

Michigan Cherry
Orchard in Bloom
Blackberry & Sage
Peach & Honey
Apple Cider Smoke

5 scents available

🔥

The Fireside

Smoked Oak & Vanilla
Beeswax & Amber
Wool & Whiskey
Dark Cherry & Clove
Winter Pine

5 scents available

More scents being added — join our list to be notified of new pours.

The Craft

How every candle
comes to life.

No factory. No machines. No automation. Just a family and a process we've refined over thousands of pours.

Collect the Bottles

We pick up spent wine bottles from Glen Arbor Wines each week — every bottle hand-selected for integrity.

Hand-Cut & Clean

Each bottle is hand-scored with a glass cutter, fire-polished smooth, then deep-cleaned and inspected.

Wick & Prep

Organic cotton wicks are centered and secured. Labels are preserved inside the glass. Bottles are warmed for adhesion.

Pour the Wax

Organic soy wax is melted, blended with pure essential oils, temperature-checked, and hand-poured in small batches.

Cure & Ship

Candles cure for 48 hours, are trim-tested and burn-tested, then wrapped and shipped to your door from Glen Arbor.

What People Say

Voices from the shore.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"I bought the Sleeping Bear Sunset for my office and now everyone wants to know where it's from. The bottle is so gorgeous I'll keep it on my desk forever after it burns out."

Kara L.

Traverse City, MI

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"Ordered five as wedding favors for a Michigan lakehouse wedding. Our guests were floored. Three of them have already ordered more on their own. The craftsmanship is unreal."

Anna M.

Suttons Bay, MI

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"We have a cottage on Glen Lake and I buy these every summer. There's something about the M-22 in July scent that smells exactly like being here. I burn them all winter in Chicago just to remember."

Tom R.

Chicago, IL

Gift Sets

Give the scent
of Northern Michigan.

Our candles make exceptional gifts — for cottage weekenders, Michigan expats, wine lovers, and anyone who's ever stood on the dunes and wanted to take a piece of it home.

Every gift order ships in kraft tissue inside a hand-stamped box with a card from the family. We can include a handwritten note at no extra charge.

The Duo

2 candles, gift box, handwritten card

$78

The Lakeshore Trio

3 candles, gift box, handwritten card

$112

The Full Collection

All 6 current scents, keepsake box

$225

Corporate / Bulk Orders

Custom quantities, custom labels available

Light the
Lakeshore.

A family, a bay,
and a bottle.