What is now Cleveland Candle Co. began in a kitchen as a fun date night idea. Soon, the concept expanded to include parties and eventually led to the opening of three brick and mortar locations throughout Northeast Ohio. One of the owners, Tanya McCollister, was nice enough to answer a few questions for us about her favorite product, helping customers find the right products and what it's like to run a business in Cleveland. See what she had to say:
What made you decide to launch Cleveland Candle?
We created Cleveland Candle Co. to offer something we thought was missing in Cleveland. We started with sourcing what we thought were the most accurate but also the most unique scents that we could find. We wanted to have a large enough variety of scents that had something for everyone. We started with about 100 scents and have now grown to over 200! We also try to focus on sourcing our products as local as possible. Our glass is all made in the U.S., our soy wax comes from U.S. soybeans, and 90% of our premium fragrance oils are sourced from Ohio!
You started with hosting candle parties; what prompted you to move into brick and mortar locations as well?
We had so much fun making candles with our group of friends that we knew it would be a hit with the people of Cleveland. We wanted to create a space where people could come in and share an experience together. One of our favorite parts of being in the stores is watching our customer's reactions as they create their own custom scent and explore their own sense of smell. Our company is all about helping you create memories together while experiencing the art of candle making, and our brick and mortar locations have allowed us to do just that!
Do you have a favorite Cleveland Candle product, or one with a special significance?
I love our custom line of Cleveland Glassware candles! We wanted to create some unique designs that we thought represented Cleveland and the state of Ohio the best, and our customers seem to really like them. We offer the Cleveland Glassware as both a pre-made candle of our Cleveland and Ohio-themed scents and as a custom candle jar option to create your own scent in.
What advice do you give your customers in terms of finding the right candle for them?
There is so much that goes into finding the perfect candle for you! You have to think about which room you will put it in, what mood you are trying to set when you light it, if you need more of an odor neutralizer or are just adding to your room aesthetic, etc. Luckily, we have over 200 scents in our stores, so you really are guaranteed to find the right scent for you! We usually start by finding out what scents you typically gravitate towards and then go from there. Once we know what you usually like, we can make some new suggestions or even help you customize your own scent to fit your exact needs.
What advice would you give to someone starting a style-related business in Cleveland?
Stay true to your own personal style and try not to get caught up in following all of the latest trends within your business. In the long run, you'll be much happier doing what you love rather than keeping up with everyone else!
Join Cleveland Candle Co. during Engage! Cleveland's YP Week for a custom candle making event! Can't make it to the Cleveland Candle Co. event? Check out the full YP Week schedule of events.
