Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Ian Minielly/Daily Globe APRIL HECKMAN, living the American dream, stands next to a shelf of her handmade craft soaps and other items for sale in the Bessemer Bath Shoppe Saturday in Bessemer. The Bessemer Bath Shoppe is part of the PopUp Shop program the city of Bessemer, the DDA, and local business owners are using to help jump start business within the city.
By IAN MINIELLY
Bessemer - The Bessemer Bath Shoppe opened its door on Saturday for its official opening at the intersection of US 2 and Moore Street, across from A.D. Johnston. Owner's Robert and April Heckman outfitted the shoppe with their own homemade soaps, smelly jellys, and candles, while carving out space on their shelves for other local craftsman to also shop their wares, which include candles, jewelery, signs, and hand towels.
The Bessemer Bath Shoppe is benefitting from the Downtown Development Authority and city of Bessemer PopUp Shop program where building owners, the DDA, and the city of Bessemer work together to provide rent assistance and dollar for dollar matching to local entrepreneurs to give them a chance to get started with less risk. Under normal conditions an entrepreneur is expected to field the rent and construction costs association with opening a new business on their own, but the PopUp Shop program aims to give local residents with a business plan and idea, the opportunity to give it a go with less risk.
The Shoppe is open Wednesday through Saturday 10-4:00 p.m. and Sundays 10-2:00 p.m. The Heckman's said working with the DDA was awesome and described how the DDA wants to see the local community unite and how they are excited about that.
April Heckman, when asked about lead in candle wicks, said there has not been lead in candle wicks in the United States since the 1970's. Heckman said her wicks are cotton as opposed to zinc-centered, so her wicks burn cleaner and do not have zinc-build up on the tip, which is typical of candles purchased in other stores.
Heckman also said she uses a mix of paraffin and soybean oil for her candle creations, which she said burns cleaner. Heckman focuses her candle-making on specialty candles, but one of her friends sells candles in a tin with many different scents that are more designed for everyday use around the house than specialty occasions or events.
