<body><div>Candlemaker sparks joy Subhead New fragrances continue after 28th year in business Madeline Duncan Wed, 06/14/2023 - 10:52 Image <ul class="slides"><li><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0ynXS4_0mvccTlr00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0ynXS4_0mvccTlr00" width="627" height="420" > The Circle E Candles showroom on U.S. 290 East displays new and classic products in over 55 fragrances. — Standard-Radio Post/Madeline Duncan </li></ul> Body T wenty-eight years into the business, Fredericksburg-based Circle E Candles continues to innovate new fragrances and products while staying true to the company’s roots. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> Circle E Candles recently released a new line of home products with the same scents customers know and love, including Bird of Paradise and Barefoot Beach. The new line of products includes laundry wash, hand soap, bath salts and room sprays. “We’re always thinking, trying to come up with new ideas,” Circle E Vice President Shandre Rivas said. “That’s the best, most fun part about it.” The “E” in Circle E Candles stands for Enloe, the last name of the company’s founders, Tom and Kay Enloe. The Enloes started making candles in their barn in Tyler, in 1995. The Enloes developed their candles after combining Tom’s background in chemistry and Kay’s creativity, Rivas said. The two started the business selling their candles door to door and store to store. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> Circle E Candles relocated to Fredericksburg in 2003 after moving to Mason, for a few years, Rivas said. Since then, Circle E has developed 55 fragrances of candles and formed partnerships with over 3,000 retailers across the United States, including Cavender’s and Buc-ees. One retail partner also sells Circle E Candles through Walmart and Amazon. Circle E formulated an exclusive fragrance for the Buc-ee’s partnership, coined Beaver Nuggets for the gas station chain’s popular snack. Despite Circle E’s explosive growth, every Circle E fragrance and candle is still hand crafted and poured by one of the company’s 32 employees in the warehouse located on U.S. 290 East, Rivas said. “Everything is hand poured, we use no machines, which is really cool because a lot of companies don’t do that any longer,” Rivas said. “We’ve always seen that as artistic and a way to keep people employed by not using machines.” <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> As the company releases new kinds of products, Rivas wants customers to know that candles will always be the core of the company. “We can do a lot of other things, but the core of who we are is candles,” Rivas said. “That’s always going to be where we started, and we’re very proud of that.” President Rob Davidson said he enjoys working with Rivas and the team to develop new products and fragrances. Davidson, who has worked at Circle E Candles for 22 years, said he has watched fragrance trends change over time. “When I started, a lot of the food fragrances were popular, but now it’s more outdoorsy (fragrances),” Davidson said. “It’s funny to see how people’s tastes and preferences change over time.” While the Circle E team manages to keep up with popular fragrances, they also stay true to their roots and listen to customer feedback. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> “Our customers are wonderful, they’ll recommend stuff to us all the time and always voice their opinion,” Rivas said. “We love the feedback, its very helpful when we’re making decisions.” Davidson said the company thrives on each department and employee working together as a team. “The whole factory works well as a team,” Davidson said. “Not one department is more important than another.” Circle E Candles are made with a soy and paraffin mix and follow a process of heating, mixing and pouring that the company has perfected over time. “There’s a lot of science to it and a lot of artistry,” Rivas said. The main showroom is located at the same location that the candles are produced, at 4181 U.S. 290 East. The U.S. 290 location is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> Circle E Candles also has a showroom on Main Street at 119 E. Main St. The Main Street location is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit circleecandles.com. <a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a></div></body>

Mountain View, CA

Candlemaker sparks joy

  
    Subhead
              New fragrances continue after 28th year in business

          
Madeline Duncan
Wed, 06/14/2023 - 10:52

  
    Image
          
              

 

      The Circle E Candles showroom on U.S. 290 East displays new and classic products in over 55 fragrances. — Standard-Radio...