Since ancient times pure beeswax has been the highest standard for candles, reserved for royalty and aristocracy. The luxury appeal continues as beeswax remains the premier choice of modern-day marchands merciers of today’s fine home interiors. La Petite Abeille conveys an understated elegance and propriety with a modernist aesthetic. All our selections are artisan-made with a distinctive honeycomb texture.

After serving the retail market for over 20 years, La Petite Abeille is now available for service directly to our devoted clientele. Our work tops tables in revered publications and books and is the go-to choice for many acclaimed designers. 

La Petite Abeille enjoys operations in a beautifully appointed chandlery tucked under the river bluffs of historic downtown Vicksburg, Mississippi. Our products are proudly American-made.

People often ask, "How did you get your start?" . .

Like all the best small businesses, La Petite Abeille (The Little Bee LLC) began at the kitchen table. Over 20 years ago, I was decorating our home for a black-tie Christmas fundraiser and wanted to have beeswax candles burning everywhere! I had occasionally bought them in a nearby town, but was having trouble finding enough of them with the quality needed to burn as long as I wanted. I decided to make them myself, and although the ones for the party were not the greatest, the beeswax continued to beckon.. My second son arrived soon after, and I found myself practicing techniques (at the kitchen table) at nap time. I researched extensively and tried and tested at every turn. I became determined to learn all there was to know and how processes could be improved. My older son even placed in his school's science fair by performing some candle tests. (Note: No, freezing beeswax candles does not extend their burn time!) Thankfully, my husband and family (and lots of Faith) were sources of encouragement in these early years..

One day, I was shopping a favorite boutique and practically by accident asked the owner if she ever carried rolled beeswax candles. She said she would love to, but that they had become hard to find. I told her I made them, and she asked for samples. I had no brand, no packaging, no tags, no clue, but I brought her samples of tapers strung on long wicks to hang on a dowel over her register. They sold. I began delivering more frequently and making more sizes. . and about a year later she asked if I ever thought of putting "a little sparkle" on them. Honestly, at first the idea horrified me. I wanted to remain respectful of the understated elegance and authentic feel of my products, giving tribute to the beautiful tradition of beeswax... But sparkle? That simple request required almost a year of research and trial (and lots of error) to develop our proprietary method for creating our signature Glint Collection! It stays true to all I was about from the start, but with the most beautiful subtle shimmer that has been described by clients as "mesmerizing"! This added step gave a sense of things to come.

Quickly I needed a line sheet, packaging, a logo, tags, some kind of marketing plan, and figure out how to manage sales and manufacturing time. Because my family was young, I purposefully kept the business small, but one store turned into two, then five..all within driving and delivery distance because shipping hadn't yet occurred to me. The "how to ship" was an enormous hurdle, as was invoicing systems, payment processing, policies, taxes and licenses, record keeping, accountants and lawyers,. . and on it went. I was a pharmaceutical rep before "retiring" to have children and knew nothing of these things. A beeswax candle company, really?

My beloved father, who lived with us in his final years, encouraged me to rent space for my growing business. We were lucky to find a rough little room downtown under the river bluffs of our small town, and I was able to hire my first helper, and then eventually three more as we gently expanded. Being a mom was my first priority, but as the boys grew, the business was able to grow, and I managed to still maintain the flexibility to volunteer and do all the things our family enjoyed. It was a blessing to be able to grow slowly and purposefully.

Understanding shipping and then a website meant more expansion, and a few years ago we moved into a larger location near the first one. We have been fortunate to attract the finest retailers with our products, and we take our responsibility for that service very seriously. We understand the upscale allure of our products, and our quest for being - and staying - the best has never stopped. Listening and learning from our clients continue to be our greatest sources of inspiration - and we are truly grateful!

Cheers to 21 Years!!

Ruth Wilkerson, Founder & Principal