Our Story
With a passion for the historic, we sought to create candles which embodied the rich culture of Old Town Alexandria.
Old Town Chandlery was born as a passion project that was 18 months in the making. After attending a candle making class with friends and family in Charleston, SC as a birthday celebration the wheels started turning. The idea finally got off the ground thanks to Covid-19 pandemic that caused a lot of time at home. I was in search of something more than binge watching Netflix and cooking up carb heavy comfort foods. I was in search of light bulbs one day when I opened a cabinet in my living room and out came so many wonderful aromas of candles waiting to be burned, including the last remaining treasure from my trip to Charleston. I did not find the light bulbs I was looking for, but a figurative light bulb went off above my head and Old Town Chandley was born.
I love candle making because it is not only an art but a science and oh so therapeutic after a long day at the office. I love a good challenge and finding the correct ratio of oil to wax just right, melting the wax to a perfect temperature, and getting the candles to set with less imperfections each time is just so rewarding.
Growing up my house was full of well-known paraffin wax candles, but after much research I’ve learned that paraffin wax is sometimes what causes people that supposedly dislike candles to have headaches. I love that my mom had candles around as a kid because to this day certain scents spark really great times or holidays that I appreciate as fond childhood memories. I’ve decided to pursue 100% Soy Wax candles because it burns so much cleaner and gives people the opportunity to appreciate the ambiance good smells can create without negative health effects.
Lastly, Old Town Alexandria, ALX, 22314, Port City, etc has been a great birthplace for this little candle company. While I’ve only lived in City of Alexandria for since the beginning of 2019, I’ve loved Old Town Alexandria since I moved to the DMV in 2014.