Today we’d like to introduce you to Chad And Chalyn Felton.
Hi Chad and Chalyn, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
We’re Chad and Chalyn the team behind Lightner Creek Company, a small family-run shop in Danube, MN. Our workspace? It’s actually the town’s old butcher shop—now filled with the scents of freshly made, tallow-based soap and skincare, instead of steaks and sausages.
Every product we offer—tallow-based soaps, creams, beard balms, bath bombs, and more—is made right here by us, in small batches. We never use extenders or fillers—just real, honest ingredients. We’re hands-on with every step, from dreaming up new recipes to pouring, cutting, packing, and chatting with our customers.
What makes our products different? We focus on honest, simple ingredients: locally sourced tallow from our local butcher shop, locally sourced beeswax, and only the highest grade essential oils from the best apothecaries. All the ingredients we use to make our products are ones we can pronounce—no weird chemicals, just real stuff.
No fancy certifications or big marketing budgets here—just a real passion for creating skincare that works and feels good. Every new product gets tested by our own circle before it ever hits the shelves. If it doesn’t pass the “friends and family” test, it doesn’t get sold.
Most of our business happens right here in our little shop, at local markets, or through our website. We’re a small team wearing a lot of hats, making sure every order feels personal and every product is something we’re proud to put our name on. When you buy from Lightner Creek, you’re supporting a family and a community—not a big corporation.
We stand by what we make, and we’re always here if you have questions or need anything. Our story is one of hard work, local pride, and a love for honest, natural skincare—and we’re grateful you’re a part of it!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It hasn’t all been easy—far from it. Like any small business, we’ve had our fair share of struggles along the way. Honestly, the biggest hurdle when we first started was space. We didn’t have a fancy workshop or commercial kitchen. We were making our first batches out of our own bedroom, just so we could have a clean, pet-free space away from our furry ones. It was cramped, a little chaotic, and definitely not glamorous—but it got us started.
Even after we opened our retail shop, Lightner Creek was still something we did on the side at first, fitting it in wherever we could. That meant a lot of late nights, early mornings, and weekends devoted to keeping things moving.
There were plenty of other bumps, too: batches that didn’t turn out right, labels that wouldn’t stick, and moments where we wondered if we’d ever figure it all out. Balancing time is still a challenge—keeping up with making products, running the shop, handling orders, and trying to have a life outside of work is a juggling act we’re always working on.
Marketing and content creation? That’s a whole other mountain. Getting the word out about what makes tallow-based skincare special isn’t easy, especially when you’re not a big company with a big budget. We’ve also had to learn how to manage inventory across our shop, local markets, and online orders, making sure we never run out of best-sellers or get stuck with shelves full of things that aren’t moving.
But through it all, we’ve stayed committed to our values—quality, honesty, and community. Every struggle has taught us something, made us better at what we do, and reminded us why we started Lightner Creek Company in the first place.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Chalyn brings her own expertise and passion to Lightner Creek Company, too. She’s run an eco-friendly cleaning business for 19 years, so creating and using safe, non-toxic products has always been close to her heart. That experience means she truly understands the importance of keeping things clean and simple—both for the environment and for the people using our products. It’s a big part of why we’re so committed to honest ingredients and why every product we make is something we feel good about bringing into our own home.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
Chad’s favorite childhood memory is fishing with his grandmother when he was younger—those peaceful days on the water, learning patience and soaking up the simple joys of life.
For Chalyn, it was foraging through the wilderness, discovering wild plants and hidden treasures in the woods, and she especially loved catching snakes along the way. And even though we didn’t know each other back then, both of us loved spending hours playing the original NES, lost in those classic games and sharing plenty of laughs with family and friends. These early experiences shaped our appreciation for the simple things and the sense of adventure we bring to Lightner Creek Company today.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://LightnerCreekCompany.com
- Instagram: Lightnercreekcompany
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/61572273749671/
