Camelback Candle Co. — Local Undercover

Tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do:

I’m Anthony Vallone, owner of Camelback Candle Co. with my partner Sara Stepnicka. We make vegan scented soy candles, featuring scents inspired by our many hikes throughout Arizona.

Let us know more about your business name - how did you come up with it?

We chose the name Camelback Candle Co. because when we moved out to Phoenix, Arizona in 2014, we instantly fell in love with the landscape. From the mountains to the desert, to the numerous Sonoran based plant species, the altitude changes, the scenery changes as you drive from the top to the bottom of the state, and of course the people. All of which are part of most hikes that we have gone on, hikes which inspired our creativity that led us to make candles.

So, when the time came for a name, what better way to honor this state, nature, and the people within it, than by celebrating one of the main landmarks in the Metro Phoenix area, which also contains one of our favorite hiking trails – Echo Canyon Trail on Camelback Mountain.

What is your signature style / item? How did it become so?

Our signature style is our ability to create multi-layered scents that blend together to create a unique scent experience for our customers. With the addition of producing candles that burn to the bottom evenly, and throw their scent in a large room.

What makes your business unique to the industry?

Given our homage to the state, in particular, the hiking trails, we instantly carved out a unique niche, trail inspired candle scents. Combined with our unique and sophisticated scent pallet, we occupy this space where high-end scents, are offered at a mid-level price point. Which can also be souvenirs and make great gifts for those who travel into the state and do some hiking, or for those missing Arizona when they leave the state.

What's been your biggest roadblock when it comes to business and how have you been able to overcome?

For us, financing and getting in front of enough customers to generate sustained sales are always two roadblocks we have to navigate daily. We specifically did not want to take out any loans or put stuff on credit but wanted to use incoming revenue as the source for growth. Obviously, that limits us in ways, but nonetheless the path we have chosen and still feel good with.

For scented candles, getting enough folks to smell the candles is the best advertisement. We are now at the point where we can pivot away from strictly festivals and online sales, and move into the retail space, and hopefully we will be able to put that roadblock behind us over the next year.

How has your business had to adapt amidst the Covid-19 Pandemic? What are you doing to navigate the situation?

Covid-19 impacts all businesses. We’ve seen an increase online, but a decrease overall due to us not being able to do the many festivals and events we did in years past. I believe our online success had to do with our advertising campaign over the last couple of months. Folks are stuck inside, the rooms can get a little stale, having a great smelling candle during a lockdown becomes a bit more important than maybe some of us realize, and we were able to take advantage of that reality.

Now that stores are opening back up, we are looking to find some retail partners in the area to carry our line of candles over the next 3-4 months.

What is your favorite part of what you do?

I love two things most, making the candles, it’s just zen for me, and doing events and meeting all the customers, seeing return customers, and being part of the local economy.

**What is your must do local activity?**

We love to visit the Desert Botanical Garden, been members for years now, and just love it, so relaxing and beautiful. We shop every weekend since moving here at the Downtown Phoenix Farmer's Market on Saturdays. It’s just special to see all the vendors, embrace the friendships we’ve developed over the years with the vendors and other market-goers, and to directly engage in the local economy, we cherish each weekend visit. Then the restaurants and bars, we’ve been vegan for over two decades and our absolute favorite place is the Uprooted Kitchen in Gilbert. Operated by two of the nicest business owners we’ve ever met Erin and Chad, and the food is second to none. The best vegan meals in the Valley, nutritious, delicious, beautifully plated, and at a killer price. We are also big fans of the Vegan House restaurant in downtown Phoenix, amazing pan-fried dumplings and fried rice, and amazing warm owners.

Then of course hiking. With so many hiking trails, if we have time and the weather isn’t above 95-100 degrees, then we will be on some hiking trail somewhere enjoying the beautiful weather, the plant life, the birds, the insects, and get inspired to create our next scent!

Where to find Camelback Candle Co.

Online: www.camelbackcandle.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/camelbackcandle
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/camelbackcandle
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/camelbackcandle