CORBIN —  

Neighbors, March 13, 2010

Cindi Benton started her business, Kountry Krafts, newly relocated at 202 South Main Street in Corbin, on a dare — no business plan, no projected profits or sales margins. And so far, it has worked out just fine.

The idea of taking on a crafts project began when she and her husband John were out shopping for candles. They entered a national chain store, and Cindi breathed deep and took in all the lovely scents.

“This one smells great,” she said as she picked up a heavy candle that smelled like strawberries.

“You can get it,” her husband told her. “Pick anything you want. My treat.”

Cindi turned the candle upside down, took one look at the price tag and suddenly a frown of disappointment came her previously smiling face.

Seeing the look on his wife’s face, John quickly stepped in. “I know it’s expensive but it doesn’t matter,” he told  her. “I will get it for you.”

Cindi appreciated the fact that her husband was willing to do something as sweet as buy her an over-priced, fruity-smelling candle, but she refused.

Ever frugal, she replied, “There is no way we are going to spend that kind of money on something I could make myself.”

John stared at his wife in disbelief. “You mean to tell me you could make candles that smell as good as the ones in here, and it wouldn’t cost an arm and a leg?

“I dare you.”

Cindi took her husband’s challenge literally and began to research candle recipes. She began working in her kitchen like a mad scientist, mixing, melting, stirring and pouring. She learned quickly that soy was much cleaner burning and more natural than the paraffin wax used in traditional candle making.

So the novice candle maker resolved early on to use only soy-based wax in her candles. Soon after she got the hang of making candles, Cindi tried her hand at soaps, lotions and other sweet smelling things. John looked on in amazement as his wife worked reverently, creating beautiful baskets filled with aromatic scents.

Cindi soon began taking her goodies to local craft shows and fairs. People were actually buying her creations faster than she could make them.

Cindi was having fun and John was wishing his kitchen at home was being used for more cooking and less candle making. They opened their first store on Cumberland Falls Road and decided to call it Kountry Krafts. It was slow going at first, and Cindi and John were hoping to find a spot in Downtown Corbin.

One day around Christmas 2009, Sharae Myers, Corbin Main Street manager, paid a visit to the store to look around and told Cindi there was a downtown storefront location available. Cindi stopped in to have a look and at once, fell in love with the place.

Soon after, Cindi packed her wares and was moved in to her new downtown home. She now had plenty of room in the back of her store to make her candles, her kitchen no longer a prisoner to her craft. There is also enough room for her four grandchildren to play when they come to visit.

“It just felt like it was meant to be,” said Cindi. “And everything has been working out really well here. Everyone is so friendly. I have met so many interesting people. That is a big reason why I moved here from Florida.”

As Cindi busied herself pouring an oatmeal mixture into a mold, she recalled how, after being born in Miami and living most of her life in Ft. Lauderdale, the hills of Kentucky ended up being her home.

“I lived here for a few years in the nineties, before I met John,” she said. “Once I moved back to Florida, I really started to miss Kentucky, the nature, the people. And once my son Donnie had decided to raise his family in Kentucky, I knew I had to find a way to come back. I couldn’t bear the thought of being away from my grandchildren.”

But taking up and making the move to Kentucky was a huge undertaking. How would she and John work it out? They both had jobs and a home in Ft. Lauderdale. However, Cindy couldn’t shake the feeling of longing to return to Kentucky and continued dropping hints to her husband about moving back to the hills.

The couple decided to take a vacation back in the Bluegrass State. They planned on seeing the sights, and of course, visiting with the grandkids. But once the couple crossed over Jellico Mountain, Cindi realized she no longer had to try to convince John that Kentucky is where they needed to be. As they passed the sign that welcomed them to the Bluegrass State, she knew John had finally got it.

“Wow,” John said. He suddenly understood why his wife was so excited about this place.

Shortly after returning back to Florida, Cindi was laid off from her job. Instinctively, she felt like it was time to make the move back to Kentucky.

But what would John think?

By now, John was all ready for a change of atmosphere, and the two began planning their move to Corbin. They decided they would both work part-time jobs leaving plenty of time to spend time with their son and his wife Christine and their grandkids. Although running a business wasn’t originally a part of Cindi’s plan when she moved to Corbin, she has never been happier. She loves working for herself, and she enjoys working alongside her son Donnie. Donnie sells his handmade jewelry in her store, which he crafts by hand on site. Donnie learned the craft from his grandfather Donald Benton Cindi said both her parents were creative and this was passed on not only to her, but to her son as well.

The Bentons are busy getting ready for the upcoming spring season. They are looking forward to Nibroc this year, and getting ready to launch a Web site. Along with the candles and gift baskets,  they also sell hand-beaded jewelry, which is made by local artist Gary Harrison.

Cindi would like to thank the other businesses in downtown Corbin, especially Shea’s Fine Jewelry, for all their help and support.

For more information on Kountry Krafts, call 606-262-7018. To place an order, stop by the store located next to Corbin Pawn Shop on Main Street or visit www.KountryKrafts.net. The store is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.