The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Sandstone Candle Works holding candle scent contest
Amherst’s Sandstone Candle Works, 166 Park Ave., is challenging people to come up with and vote on a winning hometown candle scent.
The competition, which is accepting entries from Aug. 7-21, allows guests to make their own candle by customizing any combination of up to three scents.
Price of admittance is $5 and participants can keep their customized candles once completed.
From Aug. 21-25, members of the community will vote on the entries.
The votes will be tallied and announced Aug. 28, with the winner receiving a $100 gift certificate for Sandstone Candle Works.
The winning candle will be available as a part of the shop’s permanent retail stock starting Sept. 1.
Joni Poli, owner of Sandstone Candle Works, said she originally bounced the idea around a couple of friends three weeks ago.
Now, the idea is in action.
“I’m just trying to find new ways to reach out and communicate with the community,” Poli said. “I thought, ‘What better way to get people involved than have people create a scent representing their hometown?’”
She posted a teaser to the competition Aug. 1 and already has garnered some responses, including fresh cut hay, tanning lotion and honeysuckle.
“Of course, you’re going to get some goofy answers, some silly answers,” Poli said.
Sandstone Candle Works, which opened in October 2016, also sells body sprays, spa salts, sugar scrubs and lotions.
All of Sandstone Candle Works’ candles are 100 percent soy, with an eightounce candle burning up to 60 hours.
Guests will be able to choose from 120 different scents, including peach, ginger ale, cake batter, lemon and hot chocolate.
Once the scents are chosen, the oils will be mixed in hot wax for 15 minutes.
The shop’s staff will center the wick and place the candle in a kiln to set for 90 minutes.
“It’s so much fun to come in and mix your own,” Poli said. “I encourage people to smell things you might not normally try, or might not know.”