FISHERS — Brianna Doles needs a reality check every once in a while.
“I have to pinch myself sometimes,” Doles said. “People love the fact that we can culture an experience-based type of candle making in every pocket of the neighborhood for every age.”
Doles co-owns Penn & Beech Candle Co. alongside her sister-in-law Lacey Doles. The pair founded the company from the basements of their respective homes in 2017.
“She lived on Beech Street and I lived on Pennsylvania Street,” Doles said.
It’s an operation that’s blossomed into five locations across Indiana and Ohio.
“We opened our first brick-and-mortar location at 747 College Ave., in the heart of Indianapolis, in early 2018,” Doles said. “It was wildly busy, right off the bat.”
The duo navigated the COVID-19 pandemic by focusing on curating a custom candle-pouring experience.
“You can buy a candle at a lot of places, but what you do here is custom fragrance,” marketing director Sarah Chait said. “We have over 100 fragrances in all sorts of crazy scents, from Awapuhi all the way to Yuzu.”
Thankfully, Penn & Beech employees are ready to help guests navigate what could become an overwhelming experience for the olfactory system.
“Our team helps you narrow down a list of your favorite [scents] to create a custom scent that's truly unique [and] just for you,” Chait said.
Scents with year-round appeal include Bourbon and Hotel Lobby. Penn & Beech also has its own signature scent, the P&B Blend.
“People see it on the shelf [and] they think peanut butter and jelly,” Chait said. “It's our signature scent that is really sharp and gingery, and clean and fresh.”
Guests also have their choice of candle vessel including a limited edition Eras Tour vessel inspired by Taylor Swift’s “Lover” album. The vessel features friendship bracelet-themed lettering commemorating Swift’s Indy shows.
Just like its candles, Penn & Beech’s future continues its slow burn to success. The original location on College Avenue will be closing and relocating to the nearby Bottleworks District.
“We aren't able to take huge parties because the shop is fairly small,” Chait said. “We really just have outgrown that space.”
And for Penn & Beech, choosing the right space is almost as important as choosing the right fragrance.
“We always open our shops in local, vibrant neighborhoods, encouraging people to go out in the neighborhood and enjoy a meal, do some shopping while their candles cure,” Chait said. “So that's why we are really purposeful about where we open to really encourage that kind of local shopping and dining.”
Click here to learn more about Penn & Beech Candle Co.
