“It’s just time for us to slow down a little bit and spend time with our family, our friends and especially our grandkids,” said Sherry. “It’s been tough because we work every weekend.”
The Hoskins said they have “a couple of people interested,” including one person local to the city, but would talk to anyone interested in buying the small business.
They hope to find the right fit.
“This is our baby, so we want it to keep going,” said Mike, but added they’d close the doors if the native Hamiltonians don’t feel the buyer is the right fit for the community.
“We have a lot of gratitude to Hamilton, the community and beyond that,” said Sherry. “People come from miles and miles away, which blows my mind sometimes. We’re just so grateful for the time, the memories, everything that people have poured into us.”
Petals & Wicks started as Sherry’s Petals, her side business as she was a full-time insurance agent.
“I’ve always been a creative, and I wanted to bring something creative into Hamilton. I did floral designs ― that’s where the ‘Petals’ comes from — and we were just going to add in candles in our stores to retail, then we came across this whole candle bar experience."
They drove to a candle and scent bar Amherst, “and we just fell in love with the whole experience of it,” the couple said.
The Hoskins said they wanted to invest in their hometown as they saw the revitalization efforts within the city’s urban core on High and Main streets.
“We wanted to be a part of that,” Mike said.
The retirement decision had been in the making for several months before their announcement during a Facebook Live. The couple said they wanted to stay open for at least one more holiday season as the candle and scent bar “has become a tradition for people.”
“We wanted to give them one more opportunity to share that with their families,” Sherry said.
“We couldn’t have done it without the citizens of Hamilton,” Mike said.
Besides spending more time with friends and family, Sherry said they’re not “100% certain” what retirement will look like, but the future “definitely includes slowing down.”
Mike said it will include a lot more fishing.
About the Author
