Our Story

I knew from a very young age that I wanted to own my own business. What that business would be was always the mystery. I was always good at math, and thought, well maybe I would be an engineer. They make a lot of money and get to do cool things like design bridges. But then as I was sitting in calculus 4 one day I looked around and thought, are these the people I want to be spending the vast majority of my life with?

The answer was no. Nothing against the folks in Calculus 4 at Cuesta College in the spring semester of 2009, but I knew that was not where my life was going to go. I started a landscaping business, and got burned a few times, both my skin and my pride. And then got back into serving, you know, at restaurants, and then jumped into bartending.

Then it happened, the moment my baby girl was born, I looked at her, and I knew I had to do whatever I could to have the freedom to raise her myself. My wife and I moved to Napa for her to pursue a career in wine and I was left to raise our daughter. I started bartending on the side and started throwing away the coolest and most beautiful liquor bottles. I knew there had to be a better use for them so I started taking them home. I had been making candles from wine bottles for some time, but nothing serious. Then I thought, well these liquor bottles would make cool candles too. And that is what started it all.

In 2015 I really started digging into the candle business. It started in our apartment, then moved to a storage unit. We bought a house and used the garage and the spare room to cut glass and pour candles. Then we built a 160 square foot shop. In 2020 we got our warehouse and in 2023 we moved back home to the Central Coast.

Its been a whirl wind, but I could not be happier. This life is what you make of it. And I can honestly say, I am living my best life.

Thank you for sticking around to read our story. I hope you’re living your best life too.

• Chris