Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
How it started: Brittany Whitenack was “disillusioned” with her traditional workplace job in retail management. So she quit and started looking for another job, picking up a few hobbies along the way that included candle making. “Instead of heading back to the traditional workforce, I wondered if I could potentially work back up to the same salary I was making in my previous job,” she said. She started Antique Candle Co. in her kitchen in 2014. “With $200 in candle-making supplies and [a] business plan written at my dining room table, I launched the business online.”
A tradition: Whitenack told IBJ she loves how a home smells when candles are lit all over. “They evoke a calm, hospitable and relaxing feeling,” she said. “I grew up in a home that was full of candles all the time. No matter where I went shopping as an adult (even the grocery store), I’d leave with a candle. It was a little treat for myself.”
Indiana made: The candles are made in Lafayette. On a typical day, the company’s roughly 45 employees make 2,000 to 3,000. “Our record for most candles made in one day is just under 6,000,” she said.
Fancy fragrances: During the fall and Christmas time, Antique Candle Co. offers up to 45 fragrances, including Cozy Cabin, Tree Farm and Whitenack’s favorite: Pumpkin Spice. The most popular fragrance all year long is Momma’s Kitchen, which smells like apple pie and pine. It was one of the company’s first fragrances, made by Whitenack in her kitchen.
Where to shop: Candles may be purchased online at antiquecandleco.com. They are also sold at more than 450 retail locations across the United States and Canada.
All hands on deck: Every employee at Antique Candle Co. knows how to make a candle, even marketing, finance, IT and shipping team members. On a busy day, they can hop in to help make candles.
—Compiled by Samm Quinn
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.