Small business owner brings scents and service to New Castle

NEW CASTLE, Del. (CBS) -- A woman in New Castle, Delaware, is teaching people how to elevate their spaces through scents, all while balancing a full-time job as a police officer.

At Cabernet Candles , a couple of spritzes can go a long way as a mixture of warm and sweet aromas fills the air.

"I'm a scent girlie," owner Diante Simmons said.

Simmons opened the craft café in historic New Castle in February 2021, after launching the business in 2020, during the pandemic.

"The world was shut down at the time," Simmons said. "A lot of people, especially brides, were looking for bridal parties to host with their families, and they couldn't go anywhere. So, I started to offer this as an experience where I can come to them."

What started as a social distancing activity has now become a flourishing business offering candle-making and perfume curation experiences for birthdays, corporate events and celebrations.

"I was able to provide something that was special during a time where a lot of us were just trying to find our way," Simmons said.

After choosing a few scents, Simmons gave us a step-by-step tutorial on candle-making.

"First thing you're going to do is you're going to wick your candle," Simmons said. "You are going to pour your candle scent inside of your jar…and next, you're going to pour your wax right inside of your candle jar."

Then, it was time to make a wearable scent.

"This is going to be your scent for your perfume, and this we have is perfumer's alcohol," Simmons said.

When she's not hosting experiences for others, Simmons is raising her 17-year-old daughter.

"She actually is the one that drives me to do as much as I can," Simmons said.

That includes also being a law enforcement officer.

"It gave me the social skills and the communication skills to be able to deal with anyone in the public," Simmons said.

As Simmons puts the finishing touches on each creation, it's all part of her larger mission to make a welcoming space for the community.

"Growth at the end of the day comes with new experiences. It comes with new people," Simmons said. "It comes with new businesses, and you have to be open to that if you want to see the area that you're in grow."

Simmons hopes to one day franchise her business so more people can learn the art of candle and perfume-making.