Illuminating Boise with fragrant, flickering light.
By Shelly West Photos Kimberlee Miller
Founded in 2012, Lit & Co. Candles offers unique, handcrafted 100% soy candles in a variety of fragrances that are meant to compliment your home and tickle your senses. Benefits of soy include a cleaner, slower burn that lasts longer than its competitor, paraffin. And the best part is, that it is a naturally renewable resource. Better for you and for the environment.
Owner, Kristen Jackson, created the Lit & Co. Candles concept out of what was originally a hobby. Having experienced a successful career in corporate retail, she wanted to venture out into the world of small business ownership. “When developing the concept, I asked myself what would I want to buy in a candle? I didn’t want any unnecessary ingredients in the product like dyes or additives,” Jackson says. “I like clean, simple lines and everything from the logo and labeling, down to the glassware are representative of the simplicity and versatility that I was striving for. I wanted to create both a product and branding that will look good with any décor for a long time to come.”
Located on the Northwest end of Boise (3019 W. State Street), Lit & Co. Candles is more than a quaint and fabulous smelling fragrance bar, it’s also a place to gather and create. Jackson recently expanded into the space next door to add a party room where groups from eight to fifty (or more) can hold candle making parties for events like bridal showers, bachelorette parties, birthdays, fundraisers, or maybe mom’s night out. With the option to bring food, drink, and the promise of lots of fun, it’s no wonder the room is booking so quickly.
Available worldwide, Kristen ships to customers as well as wholesale and private label clients around the country and internationally as far as Australia. She has many innovative scents such as red current, freesia, bergamot, laundry, and lavender—only a few among over 70 scents currently available. Packaged in clean and simple jars, they complement any décor, adding a warm glow and scent to your space.
Custom scents and labeling is also available. She is excited to be providing corporate clients like Ethan Allen, here in Boise, with a custom scent and packaging. But everyone is welcome to come in and blend their own signature scent. It’s simple—just pick up to three scents to blend, add to the wax, pour into your choice of container, decorate the label for your creation and leave the candle in shop to sit for up to three hours (or more). Can’t make it back that day? No problem; they can hold your candles for another day and can even ship if needed.
When asked about how she selects her scents she offered this, “It’s important to me to produce home fragrance and candles that smell exactly like what they’re supposed to; sometimes it can take eight or nine samples of the same fragrance from different vendors to get just the right one, and even then, it might not make the cut. Every scent is tested in our wax to make sure it performs well in, smells just like the real thing, and has an acceptable scent throw before it will be considered for our retail shelves.”
In addition to candles, Lit & Co. also offers room spray, soy wax tarts, and a bath and a body line including bath bombs and soaps.
Lit & Co. Candles is open Tuesday through Thursday 11-6, and Friday-Saturday 11-5. Check out their website at litandco.com
