Sydney Hale Co. began as a local woman and her husband’s candle-making hobby out of their home, now in Purcellville.
In just a decade it has graduated from craft fairs on the East Coast to being sold wholesale throughout the U.S. and Canada. Meghan and Chris Cook alongside their two rescue pups, Owen and Georgia, now share their hobby and their passion for fragrances and candles with people all over North America. -Sophia Rutti
It’s All in the Name
Sydney Hale Co. is a family affair even down to the name. “The company name is a family name,” Chris says. “Meghan took my middle name, Hale, while we were dating and combined it with her grandfather’s name Sydney. That was how we named the company.” The husband and wife run the company together having both left their jobs to pursue their passion.
Most Popular Candles
“We have a couple of definite best-sellers,” says Chris. “The top three are probably Tobacco and Sandalwood, which is one that is universally enjoyed by men and women, Woodsmoke and Amber that was inspired by camping trips we took together, and the third is probably Eucalyptus and Sage.”
Dog Rescue
With the success of their company, the Cooks wanted a secondary purpose for the business. Meghan particularly wanted to help locally, and as an animal lover, she found her niche with the Lost Dog Rescue, where she donates 10 percent of the company’s profits.
Candle-Making Inspiration
“Meghan really likes to work backwards to find fragrance inspirations and pairings,” says Chris. “She was very focused on making candles appealing to everyone in terms of the fragrance choices. She wanted the candles to be appealing to both the masculine and feminine sensibilities.”
Candle Making
“We make anywhere from 150 to 300 candles a day of varying fragrances,” says Chris. “It takes about two days to completely create and clean up a candle to have it ready to go to the customer.”
Available in Local Stores: Covet in Arlington; Harriet’s General in Culpeper; John Edwards Hair Design in Vienna; Middleburg Common Grounds in Middleburg; Red Barn Mercantile and UnWined in Old Town Alexandria; Merrifield Garden Center in Fairfax, Merrifield and Manassas; The Picket Fence in Burke; Twigs in Purcellville; Well & Good Studio in Leesburg
Price Range: $18 for room sprays; $30 for candles; $15-$62 for pet accessories
(June 2015)
