The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Maddie Gronewold talks about her family business, Sabbath Scents.
Tell us about your Business.
Every Sunday, our family practices the Sabbath. As much as possible,we try to be still and rest. It has been my heart’s desire in this season of life to say, “no,” to more than we’re saying, “yes,” to.
We want to truly experience what it means to be still. We want to fill our cup up with what Christ wants for us then we can shine His glory through the rest of the week.
We watch football on Sundays. We make chicken and baked potatoes. That has been what we consider rest.
During this time, we would put a simmer pot on of beautiful arrangement of oranges and cranberries and cinnamon sticks.
We would talk about our highs and lows of the week, where we saw God, and specifically what we’re looking forward to that he is going to use us for in the future. That became our Sabbath. We would pour into each other and we would uplift each other’s souls so that we could continue to pour out in the future. Whenever we had the simmer pot on and were together as a family, it just seemed like our souls started to be filled.
What makes your business unique in the community?
Truthfully, my goal behind Sabbath Scents is that people are filled with God’s peace and what it means to be filled with him and be at rest in stillness in his presence.
In our community, I want to be a leader, a Christ-driven leader for Him and have people feel comfortable with our family and our children to have open conversations about who God is and also how we are seeking him.
I hope that people see that we are, as a family, not of this world. Our goal is to be more mission mindset for Christ.
What do you love most about being part of this community?
I love how closely our community is connected. We have had so much support in purchasing these simmer pots. We first set up at Mahoney’s two weekends ago on a whim and sold some pots.
I think we had over 30 orders that day. From advertising on social media, we have sold over 100 bags of and 10 physical glass pots and about 30 jars.
Inside of each package, there’s a prayer and a scripture from, Psalm 90:1 which is, “Lord, through all the generations you have been our dwelling place!”
What is your most popular product?
I would say our most popular product is a simmer pot bag. That mix has ingredients for several simmer pots, but each simmer pot includes oranges, cranberries, juniper, and allspice mixed.
We put clove in there as well as bay leaves and anise, and then a pick of evergreen.
Where can future customers find your product?
We will be setting up at Berry Creek. It is on the west side of the square in Carthage, so we will have our products there. I’m looking at also doing a subscription box, whether that’s quarterly for the seasonal scents.
How do you support or get involved with local causes or organizations?
We have had some corporate orders, which is really neat. We had somebody order some for all their employees the other day, which was almost 40 orders.
So that was really cool to be able to support a company that way. We’re becoming part of the chamber in Carthage.
What’s something people might be surprised to learn about your business?
Every product that’s in packages has been packaged by our children. I wanted our kids to be extremely involved in this and they want to be too.
When it says,“Love The Gronewolds,” on our prayer, it’s truly from our entire family.