Brian and Leyna Cannon, owners of the Grey Horse Candle Company, may have the best-smelling basement in the area.

That’s because it’s where they pour and label their handmade candles, which are made with all-natural, locally sourced ingredients.

“There are so many companies nowadays where everything’s just imported from overseas – especially candles,” Leyna said. “They get them pre-made and just slap their own label on them.”

But nothing like that is for sale at the Grey Horse Candle Company’s new Peterborough storefront, where the Cannons have ensured every product they offer is made in the United States, from their in-house line of candles and soaps to apparel and accessories that are handmade by small businesses from around the country.

 “We really try to source as much as possible from people like us,” Brian said.

The Cannons took over Grey Horse Candle Company in August of 2021, when they were still living in Florida, where the company was originally based. They decided to move the operation to New Hampshire in early 2022, after tiring of the heat and humidity of the Florida weather.

The equestrian-themed candle company was a more-than-appropriate acquisition for the Cannons – Leyna is a longtime equestrian, and affectionately referred to Brian as her “horse husband.”

Leyna is no stranger to New England, having been born and raised in Haverhill, Mass., before moving to Florida for her father’s job. It was there where she met Brian, and where the two owned and operated a 150-acre equestrian facility for nine years. After their children came along, they decided they wanted to do something quieter, which eventually led them to acquire Grey Horse.

Since moving to Peterborough in 2022, the Cannons have sold their candles online and wholesale out of their home, but always wanted to open a storefront downtown. When a spot opened up under Steele’s Stationers, they jumped at the opportunity. They moved into the space in early February, and held a soft opening at the beginning of March.

In many ways, candles are a natural extension of Leyna’s first business, Mud Horse Soaps, which she began in 2020. Her soaps have been incorporated into Grey Horse’s selection, along with several other soaps, lotions, creams and lip balms that are made by small businesses from around the United States.

Unlike soaps from big-name brands, which use detergents and other harsh chemicals, the main ingredients in Mud Horse soaps are olive oil and water.

As for the main attraction – the candles – they are made with an entirely soy-based wax, from soy beans grown in Kentucky.

“We don’t source any of the candle ingredients from outside the U.S.,” Brian said.

“I like that it’s a green source, it’s renewable,” Leyna added. “I’d much rather have soy versus a petroleum-based paraffin candle in my house.”

She emphasized that using a soybean-based wax was also a great way to support U.S. farmers.

“I’ll do anything to support farmers – since I’m a farm girl at heart,” Leyna said.

The Cannons have set up the basement of their Peterborough home for pouring and labeling the candles. The basement stays cool even during the summer, making it much easier to control the pouring process, especially compared their operation in Florida, where the heat and humidity often had an effect on the candles as they were being poured.

The candles start as small flakes of soy wax, which the Cannons order in large pallets delivered directly to their home. The wax flakes are transferred into a heating vat, where they are melted down into liquid form for pouring.

To pour the candles, they use a wand that’s connected to the heating vat by a tube, which mixes the fragrance and wax together in appropriate amounts to be transferred into glass jars or metal tins, depending on the size of the candle.

The candle filler, which was manufactured by the New York-based company Cooger Products, allows the Cannons to adjust the fragrance load, which affects the strength of the candle’s scent. Candles can have a fragrance load of anywhere from 6% to 12%, although the Cannons explained many companies will lower their fragrance load to cut costs.

Not Grey Horse, though – “we max out all of our candles,” Brian said.

Unfortunately, working so close to candles every day has made them “nose-blind.” They rely on input from friends and family when testing new scents, and with their new storefront, they’ve been asking for the opinions of customers, too.

They are currently testing out three new scents – pineapple, coconut and papaya – one of which will be added to their lineup in the near future. To give input, visit the Grey Horse Candle Company store at 40 Main St. in Peterborough, right under Steele’s Stationers. They are open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. People can also order directly from their website at greyhorsecandles.com.