This story first appeared in CityView Magazine’s “Home & Garden” May 2026 edition.
At 13 years old, Elise Benander had an idea—one that started not in a storefront, but at home.
At the time, she was being homeschooled, with more flexibility in her schedule and, as she put it, “a lot more time on my hands.” While her older sister, Annika Benander, had already found her outlet in theater—now studying acting and arts administration at Elon University—Elise gravitated toward the kitchen, baking and experimenting with recipes in between lessons.
People started to notice.
“They told me they would buy them from me,” Elise said. “And I kind of just thought, maybe I should try selling them.”
When she brought the idea to her mom, Casey Benander didn’t immediately say yes. Instead, she gave her a challenge—one that would turn the idea into something real.
“I told her, if you can establish yourself as a licensed bakery, you can sell at the farmers market,” Casey said, laughing. “I also thought it would be a great homeschool project—and honestly, I didn’t think she would actually do it.” But Elise did.
Rather than stopping at the basics, she went all in—researching requirements, working through certifications, and building what would eventually become her small business, EB Sweets.
Now a senior at Terry Sanford High School, Elise creates everything from custom cupcakes and cake pops to cookies, bars, cakes, tarts, and sweet breads—most notably her cinnamon rolls, which have become a favorite among customers. Her baking also evolved into allergy-friendly offerings, something that quickly resonated with families looking for healthier, more accommodating options.
What began as a homeschool project turned into something much bigger. It also sparked something unexpected.
“I thought, ‘What am I going to do while I’m down there every weekend?’” Casey said. The answer came in candles.
What started as a weekend farmers market idea has since grown into a multi-faceted family business, Haymount Homes, with a new brick-and-mortar concept—The Market—set to open in mid-May inside a restored historic Haymount home.
Behind that growth is a family constantly in motion, building the business piece by piece.
Building Something Together
On any given day, the Benander home feels less like a quiet house and more like a place in motion—boxes carried up narrow staircases, candle wicks cut one by one, and conversations about “what’s next” happening somewhere between school drop-offs and late-night cleanups.
For CJ Benander, a freshman at Terry Sanford High School, that motion often means stepping in wherever he’s needed—hauling furniture, stacking materials, cutting candle wicks, or driving across counties to pick up pieces for the family’s growing business.
In a family where everyone seemed to have their own lane—Annika with theater, Elise with baking—CJ said he began to look for his.
Recently, that’s taken shape in the form of a budding sports card business, something he sees as aligning with the buying, selling, and business-minded side of what his family is building.
Even Oliver, the youngest, a sixth grader at Max Abbott Middle School, has found his place—balancing sports, theater, and pitching in with whatever needs to get done.
Together, their efforts form the backbone of what has become more than just a business idea.
Rooted In Fayetteville
That “something” is The Market—a new brick-and-mortar space set to open inside a restored historic Haymount home (not the home where they live), where candles, home goods, plants, and eventually small-batch desserts will come together under one roof.
But for the Benanders, The Market isn’t just a business. It’s what happens when a family—shaped by the unpredictability of military life—decides to build something meant to last.
Carl Benander, a Special Forces Army officer, has spent years navigating deployments, training, and the demands of military service.
“I am working that full time, obviously, and have been deployed multiple times,” he said.
That kind of life often comes with constant movement—but for the Benanders, Fayetteville became something different.
“We anticipated a life of moving around more than what we realized,” Casey said. “But as we started seeing that stability, we felt like we needed to bloom where we were planted.”
While the military brought them to Fayetteville, it was the decision to stay that shaped everything that followed.
“We wouldn’t have been here if it weren’t for that,” Casey said. “But once we realized we were staying, we wanted to invest in the community—to really become part of Fayetteville.”
Preserving What Matters
Before The Market, the Benanders were already restoring homes in Haymount, drawn to the character of older properties and determined to keep them from being lost.
“We both grew up in older homes in the Midwest,” Casey said. “As flawed as they were, we appreciated their character—and we loved the character they brought to Haymount.”
Watching similar homes in Fayetteville face demolition didn’t sit right.
“It was kind of heartbreaking to see them torn down,” she said. “We thought, what if we tried to save some?”
That idea became their rental and renovation business, grounded in a simple philosophy: create spaces they themselves would want to live in.
That same mindset ultimately led them to one of their most ambitious projects yet—the Taylor-Utley House, a historic Haymount home built in 1848.
The property was originally owned by James Andrew Jackson Bradford. Merchant William Taylor purchased a portion of the land from Bradford in 1847 and built a home there. It was purchased 11 years later by Joseph Utley. Historical records indicate that Utley owned enslaved people.
The Benanders said they were not aware of specific details about the home’s early ownership prior to beginning the project, but were not surprised given its age.
“Our business has long sought to bring new life and energy into neglected spaces by repurposing them rather than ‘restoring’ them to what they once were,” Casey said. “While we honor the architectural history in our renovations and preservation; we don’t intend to idealize their history or bring them back to what they were exactly.
Instead of building something new, they chose to repurpose what was already there. Now, the home is being transformed into something more than a storefront—an experience rooted in place.
“Our goal with the Taylor-Utley home was to create a welcoming space for our entire community,” Casey said. “With that said, this new knowledge has us exploring ways that we can pay tribute to and acknowledge the difficult history of those that were forced to serve. Their service is likely responsible for the home standing today and giving us the privilege to move it into a new era.”
‘Take A Beat And Be Happy’
Now, that philosophy is taking shape inside the Taylor-Utley House itself.
When The Market opens, visitors will find more than just products.
Phase one will include candles, home fragrances, house plants, art, vintage finds, and a rotating mix of new and used furniture and décor—an ever-changing selection designed to make each visit feel different.
“It should feel really happy,” Casey said. “Even if it’s just 20 minutes out of your day.”
For the Benanders, building a business has meant embracing uncertainty.
“The only thing you know in the military is something will change,” Casey said.
That unpredictability has shaped how they approach everything—from parenting to entrepreneurship.
“You can’t control any of that,” she said. “So you have to be willing to pivot.”
Instead of waiting for the “right” time, they built anyway.
“We didn’t have a business plan,” Casey said. “We didn’t know what we were doing. We just knew it would be a good thing—and we did it.”
The second phase of The Market will introduce the Haymount Parlour—a microcreamery and bakery designed as a “vintage dessert destination” inside the home.
Featuring healthy ingredients, small-batch desserts, and ice cream sourced from pastured Wisconsin dairy, the concept is rooted in both quality and experience.
“We want people to have a moment in time with their friends and family,” Casey said. “Rock on the porch, sit back, relax, and enjoy their time.”
From rotating flavors to the possibility of porch-side watercolor painting, the goal is simple.
“It’s just a place to take a beat and be happy,” she said.
A Growing Following
Even before opening, the business has built a loyal customer base.
“Casey Benander’s candles and oils are truly something special,” said Maggie Carson, a longtime customer. “Shopping with Casey is always a joy, and you can truly feel the care, creativity, and heart she puts into everything she makes.”
Carson said the products resonate across generations and praised their balance of quality and safety.
“It’s rare to find candles that feel both safe and luxurious,” she said.
The Market is aiming for a soft opening of its retail space the weekend of May 16, with the Haymount Parlour expected to follow later in 2026.
But for the Benanders, success isn’t just about business—it’s about impact.
“Do we feel like it’s contributed to the community in the way we hoped?” Carl said. “That’s the harder thing to measure—but I think we’ll know it when we see it.”
For Casey, the goal is simpler.
“I just want people to be happy,” she said. “I want people to love where they live.”
Inside a Haymount home, that vision is already taking shape—built not just from ideas, but from a family choosing to create something lasting, together.
