For Katy Wright and Danielle Kuskoss, there’s just nothing like a good scented candle. And it was while the close-knit sisters-in-law were making candles for themselves, they decided to bump up the size of the batch and make candles for others. Thus, Sarnia’s Adelaide Candles Co. was born in 2021. “We really enjoy a good quality candle and just thought we could make it the same as the ones we were buying and make it how we wanted,” Katy says. “Then our friends and family started asking for them and we went from there. I think we both felt, we buy so many of these, why don’t we just try to make our own?”The two were known for spending lots of time together and looking for a way to get creative during the quarantine period. “We’re always together anyway, so we might as well find a way to make a little money from hanging out and spending so much time together.” 
Katy and Danielle rely mostly on online sales through their Instagram and Facebook pages, although a few stores in Sarnia stock their candles so buyers can see and smell the product. “We also do a lot of vendor shows,” Katy says. The pair didn’t really have a vision for the business when they began. “This is very unlike me because I tend to be very goal-oriented,” Katy says, “but it was something that was so new to us, that we went in with very low expectations. I remember we said if we could sell 50 candles, we would break even. That was the goal when we started.” It was an eye-opening experience for both Katy and Danielle. “Everything was so new for us, and we were really nervous stepping out of our comfort zone,” Danielle says. “But being there with each other and doing it together made it so much easier. It has exceeded our expectations.”
The candles are made from soy and they use fragrance oils to give them their scent. Adelaide Candle Co.’s best-selling candle is Perfectly Pear, ripened sweet pear scent mixed with almonds and a hint of vanilla cream. Other regular stock candles include Cookie Crumb, Cucumber Melon, Sweet Cherry & Mint, and White Zinfandel among others. Katy, who is 28 and teaches Grades 4/5 French Emersion, and Danielle, who is 34 and is a teller supervisor at a bank, say a lot of time goes into their budding new business. “It is demanding at times, but we don’t really mind,” Katy says. “We find pockets of time and scratch things off our to-do list. It doesn’t really feel like we are working or making any huge sacrifice because we really, really enjoy the time we spend together working on our business.”
Both owners say they are proud to be a part of what they consider to be a really cool community of local artisans and wonder if someday Adelaide Candle Co. could become a full-time venture. “That would be a dream,” Danielle says. “It would be amazing if we could eventually get there.”