Owners of Candle-Making, Needlework and Wine Shops on Lowcountry Comforts

Meet a few locals who bring warmth, welcome and a little extra coziness to the Lowcountry.

STORY BY Barry Kaufman
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LISA STAFF

Few words in the English language are as quietly and individually evocative as the word cozy. It means something different to everyone — a cottage at the edge of a peaceful dirt road, a private room filled with treasured books, a mountain of pillows with a piping cup of tea waiting on a bedside — and yet it represents the same thing to all of us.

It represents comfort. It represents safety. It represents a place where the world can shrink to your immediate surroundings, letting you focus on yourself and leave everything else behind. As temperatures plummet into winter and life seems to get bigger and more complex every day, it represents something we could all use.

When you’re ready to get cozy, here are a few locals who can help you create that perfect space, whatever it looks like to you.

Melissa Monge and Sarah Brown

These lifelong friends turned a shared spark into a cozy, scented getaway.

Cozy is more than a state of mind. It’s a state of sensation, a culmination of stimuli that evokes deep, full-body comfort: the crackle of a fire, autumn raindrops streaking the windows, the warmth of wool socks and the flavor of hot tea.

The thing is, these experiences aren’t just sights or sounds. They’re scents. The gentle woodsmoke drifting from the fireplace, the petrichor of rain, the florals rising from the tea. Only when these scents swirl through the air can we truly consider ourselves cozy.

That subtle science of scent and sensibility is what drove Melissa Monge and Sarah Brown to launch Sea Love Hilton Head. The boutique and candle bar lets guests create their own scented candles, blending more than 100 fragrances by instinct or with guidance from a scent stylist. 

“It’s been amazing. Now that we’ve been through our second full year, we’re seeing a lot of families who come back every summer because this has become a part of their vacation,” said Brown. 

“We’re not just here to make candles,” Monge added. “We’re here to be a gathering place for different celebrations.”

The idea of opening Sea Love here began when Monge and her husband, Jeremy Modzelewski, visited a Sea Love location in New Hampshire. Monge immediately saw the need for a boutique on Hilton Head Island — and she knew exactly who to call.

“Sarah and I know each other through family. My cousin Maddison is her best friend,” Monge said. “She happened to be visiting the island and was looking for a change.”

Brown, who grew up in Cape May, New Jersey, with Monge, found herself in the right place at the right time.

“When she came home from that trip, she was telling me about Sea Love. How it’s more than an activity; it’s an experience. I thought it was such a great, creative, fun, enticing idea,” said Brown. “I thought it was the greatest idea ever.”

The two Jersey girls joined forces, with Monge as owner and Brown as owner/operating partner, assembling a team of certified scent stylists and honing a craft that blends natural soy-based ingredients into aromas that capture and create memories. 

In the end, the perfect candle is more than a scent. It’s a memory you blend yourself, whether it recalls a sunny beach day or something warm for quiet nights at home. Strike the match, and the glow brings your version of cozy to life.

Smells like coziness

There are both an art and a science to creating the perfect cozy space. Once you’ve feathered your nest, the final touch is a scent that’s uniquely yours. We asked Monge and Brown to suggest blends that evoke olfactory bliss.

For a classic book nook: “I always go with my favorite, which would be honeysuckle,” said Monge. “It depends on how sweet you want it. Lemon Verbena is another favorite that gives you that clean smell. Then you can add in Champagne, which is very dreamy.”

For that window seat where you watch the colors change: “I would say apple, chai tea and cinnamon. It gives off really nice fall vibes,” Brown said. “I have that in my house right now.”

For a no-judgment man cave: “For a lot of men, they’ll go with something like sandalwood,” Monge said. “Then you can throw in something like old books for that library scent that pulls the natural tones out of the sandalwood. It’s a very creamy wood smell that’s also soft and earthy.”

Michele Kay Greene

This needlework shop owner offers a cozy refuge for quiet minds and open hearts.

Sometimes cozy is a solitary pursuit. Other times, it’s built through community. When she purchased Needlepoint Junction in the Village at Wexford, Michele Kay Greene didn’t just invest in a business nearly 40 years strong. She inherited a community of needlepoint enthusiasts who immediately welcomed her into the fold.

“I fell in love with the artform of needlepoint. It took a while because I didn’t stitch, but I knew color and design. But the community that was here really embraced me,” she said. The feeling was mutual. “It’s been great having this community that’s surrounded me and taken care of me in my times of need, like when my dad passed, or in good times, like when my husband and I got married. You don’t get that everywhere.”

Needlepoint, Greene says, is far more than following a pattern. It’s “yoga of the mind.”

“Your basic needlepoint stitches are very calming. Once you get into it, it can be very methodical … it gives you the ability to just slow down with no distractions,” she said. “Even though you might bring something into that space, maybe you’re dealing with a sick family member or something, it’s a place everyone can come in and say, ‘This is what’s going on in my life’ without being judged.”

Within those shared moments, a tapestry of community is woven. While the art on the canvas may look intricate, the real artistry lies in the connections formed.

“I write a Sunday newsletter that’s very guttural… it’s just about letting people know they belong,” Greene said. “And every week people will call, email or text to share their own stories. That’s the beauty of this community. It’s cozying up to like-minded people. We all have our own life stories.

Crafting a cozy spot

While she’s now immersed in needlepoint, Greene didn’t arrive there in a straight line.

“My parents were living down here, and the opportunity came to buy a store I knew nothing about. But I jumped at it. I had said I never wanted to go back into retail after spending a lovely amount of time being laid off in the tech industry,” she said with a laugh. “I sort of fell into this thing I knew nothing about, and it’s become a saving grace. It’s been so healing.”

It took years to find her voice as an artist, but she was guided by the community now woven into her life.

“You belong. It’s welcoming people of every background. I just care about what’s in your heart, and you’re welcome into my heart,” she said. “What brings us together is the stitching. There are needlepoint police, but I’m not them. How you feel about it is different than how I feel about it.”

From knowing next to nothing about needlepoint to becoming the center of a thriving creative community, Greene welcomes anyone willing to pick up a needle.

Blake and Jimmy Schmid

This couple helps keep island celebrations warm, cozy and well-stocked.

This time of year, cozy often comes in a glass. It might be toasting small victories with friends or lingering over a bottle in a space that feels both elegant and familiar. At Rollers Wine & Spirits, those moments are part of the experience.

For more than 65 years, Hilton Head locals have turned to Rollers for everything from holiday toasts to everyday celebrations. Today, under the ownership of Blake and Jimmy Schmid, the island’s iconic wine and spirits destination feels more inviting than ever. The couple has carried forward the legacy of one of Hilton Head’s first family-owned businesses while adding fresh energy and a true sense of place.

“I’ve always enjoyed spirits and learning the ins and outs of business. Working alongside John (Kelsey, former owner of Rollers) for so long allowed me to feel like I could take it on,” said Jimmy. “I’ve worked very hard to be in this position, and it is humbling to be next in line.”

Jimmy joined Rollers in 2011 and grew alongside the business. Blake built her own following through her boutique, Coastal Bliss. Together they have created deep ties to the community, and those roots now extend to their own children.

Step inside their Palmetto Bay Road location and the appeal is instant. Picture Gatsby-esque charm with Lowcountry warmth. Guests can rent a private booth for an intimate night, take a seat at the stylish wine bar or settle into the garden patio.

“We’re an on-prem where you can shop and drink, and every day of the week we have people here enjoying wine and cheese,” Blake said.

Rollers is known for its curated selection, from hard-to-find wines and craft beer to distinctive barrel picks. Jimmy has grown this program into one of the shop’s biggest strengths.

“We started that a few years back, but we’re really blowing it out now,” Jimmy said. “This year alone, we’ve combined forces with partners to complete more than 80 barrel picks. It’s been huge for us.”

With Blake now fully focused on Rollers and Jimmy elevating the spirits program, the experience continues to evolve. The atmosphere is warm, relaxed and rooted in community. Whether it is a glass of whiskey that feels like a hug or an espresso martini that kicks off your evening, Rollers offers a cozy escape that invites you to slow down and savor the season.

Blake and Jimmy Schmid are honored to deliver that comfort one glass at a time.

A local twist on the midnight toast

The season naturally ends with a countdown, a cheer and the familiar pop of a champagne cork. If you want your New Year’s Eve toast to feel a little more Lowcountry, Rollers Wine and Spirits has just the thing: Lowcountry Bubbles.

“We had it bottled through our local distributor, but it’s real brut from France,” said co-owner Blake Schmid. “Local sommelier and artist Margaret Pearman designed the label for us.”

That label is a celebration on its own, featuring Bluffton Mayor Larry Toomer’s well-known shrimp boat, Daddy’s Girls. Inside the bottle is brut from the Limoux region of France, where monks crafted the world’s first sparkling wines in the 15th century. The result is vibrant, floral and refreshing.

Fall and winter also bring peak oyster season to the Lowcountry, and these bubbles make an ideal pairing. Limoux predates Champagne as a sparkling-wine region, giving this bottle a little history to go with its holiday cheer. 

Whatever your preference, whether wine, beer or spirits, the right pour adds comfort to a chilly night. Whether you’re toasting at midnight or enjoying a quiet sip by the fire, it’s an easy way to make the holidays feel a little cozier.