Today we’d like to introduce you to Bob and Mitchell Werts.
Bob Werts founded Waxman Candles in Lawrence, KS in 1970. The opportunity to expand to a major Midwestern city presented and Bob partnered with Steve Traxler to open Waxman Candles Chicago in 1996. As a second-generation candle maker, he started with the company in Kansas in 2009 and moved to a management position at the Chicago location in 2013.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As a retailer, adapting to the customer’s needs and wants is the name of the game. We have dealt with the ebb and flow of the economy over our 20+ year life as other retailers have but keeping the doors open takes diligent day-to-day monitoring. Nailing down the products that work always presents a challenge. The ability to create our own product helps alleviate some of these issues but adjusting how much and what we make each year and season is a must.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Waxman Candles Chicago – what should we know?
Waxman is an “old-world” style candle shop, handcrafting our product on a daily basis. We have a full line with unscented columns and tapers, fragranced columns and container candles, and hand carved and poured decorative pieces. We use premium materials from our fragrance oils and waxes to our wicks and dyes.
Fans of paraffin, soy and beeswax can find a wide selection of products in each of these desired styles. Our small staff either works on or extremely close with all our products giving us intimate knowledge of how the product is made, its components, and how it smells and performs allowing us to pass that information on to our customers.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Handcrafting our product on site allows great flexibility with introducing products and altering our stock and displays to account for changing demands. Along with that, a company making its own goods from USA sourced components is a highly valued concept these days.
Pricing:
- A dozen fragranced votives $23.90
- 8oz fragranced soy jar $18.00
- 3″ x 6″ white unscented column $18.00
Contact Info:
- Address: 3044 N Lincoln Ave Chicago, IL 60657
- Website: waxmancandles.com
- Phone: 7739293000
- Email: chicago@waxmancandles.com
- Instagram: waxmanchicago
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/waxmanchicago
- Twitter: @WaxmanChicago
- Yelp: Waxman Candles
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