Since 2019
Key West Candle & Bath Company started about as grassroots as it gets. We collected empty liquor bottles from behind Irish Kevin’s, Rick’s, and Sloppy Joe’s, gave them a new life as candles, and officially launched our first website.
We didn’t have a storefront, a big production space, or a fancy brand — just an idea and a whole lot of determination.
We landed our very first wholesale retailer. Seeing our products on another business’s shelves was a huge milestone and the beginning of growing beyond direct-to-consumer sales.
This was a big year for both our family and our business. We welcomed our first child while continuing to grow the company and adding several more retailers.
The business was growing right alongside our family.
Our wholesale side continued to expand, and we welcomed some pretty special Key West accounts, including Baby’s Coffee and Cuban Coffee Queen, along with our first hotel accounts.
Little by little, our products were finding their way into more places around the island we call home.
Sometimes growth requires admitting something isn’t working.
While standing in Cracker Barrel, staring at an entire wall of candles, we had what we like to call our ego check.
We realized our branding could have belonged to almost any candle company, anywhere. It didn’t tell our story. More importantly, it didn’t represent Key West.
That realization changed everything.
We moved into our temporary studio space and officially launched our completely refreshed branding — brighter, more colorful, more tropical, and much more us.
Our brand finally started to look and feel like the place that inspired it.
Seven years after collecting empty liquor bottles behind Key West bars, we officially moved into our home at 1011 Whitehead Street in Key West.
What started with discarded bottles, a website, and an idea became a growing local brand with retailers, hotel partners, a full collection of products, and a place of our own.
And we’re still just getting started.
