Candle Studio 1422

Candle Studio 1422 owner Cindy Felts Photo by Meghan Newberry

By Marcella Peyre-Ferry Contributing Writer

Candles make wonderful home décor, and the experience of making them yourself makes them even better. At Candle Studio 1422, located at 100 Sycamore Alley in historic Kennett Square, you can create your own soy candle in your personal favorite scents and complete it with a personalized label. The process starts with exploring available scents. Choose up to six scents that appeal to you from a wide selection of fragrance oils. Try them out in combinations on scent blotters to come up with the perfect scent for your one-of-akind candle. Heated soy wax will be provided to you. You will then add your custom fragrance blend, stir, and pour your candle into its vessel. The final step is to give your candle a name and create a label. Candles need at least two hours to solidify once they have been poured. People may come back the same day or pick up their candle another day. There is also an option to have the candles shipped. Candle making at Candle Studio

1422 can be an individual activity, but in most cases it will be two to six friends ages 8 and up sharing the experience. Owner Cindy Felts is very involved with guests or customers, helping them through the making process. “I’m very interactive with everyone who comes in. I kind of talk them through it,” she said. Her help includes advice on how scents perform, the temperature to add the fragrance oil and the temperature to pour the wax. The result is a 9-ounce jar candle that will burn for approximately 45 hours. “It’s just fun for me. I want people to come in and experience the same fun,” Felts said. Felts started candle making as a hobby. It helped her manage the stress from her career and life in general. When she left her corporate job in 2018, she still made candles as a hobby plus selling online and at craft and maker events. “I knew I needed to go back to work, so a decision needed to be made which route to take; a traditional job or selfemployment,” Felts said. It was her husband who found the location for the new business in 2020. The idea of starting a business in the middle of a pandemic made Felts hesitate, but with her husband’s encouragement she decided to take a chance and move forward. Felts has been a Southern Chester County resident for over 11 years and loves it. For her business the location is perfect with community support for small businesses. It is also ideal for this particular business because the proximity of other businesses and restaurants gives customers a chance to enjoy shopping in the neighborhood while the newly created candle is solidifying. “I think being in a community that has a strong appreciation of small business and community helps. It’s just part of the culture of Kennett Square,” Felts said. “In addition, the candle making experience provides locals and visitors alike an experience as opposed to just buying a candle. It’s an opportunity for them to spend time with the people they love, doing something fun, and building memories.” Along with Felts’ selection of pre-made candles, visitors will also find products from other small businesses as well such as bath and body products, jewelry and more. Information is available on the website at candlestudio1422.com. There you can purchase pre-made candles or other products or book an appointment to come in and make your own candles.