Hand-Poured Candle Company Succeeds by Selling Online
In 2020, at the height of Covid lockdowns, Mikey Kim found himself without a job and confined to his apartment. What began as a hobby in his cramped Los Angeles apartment became Hemlock Park, a thriving all-natural candle business. As customer demand grew and candles overtook his living space, Mikey relocated to Reno, Nevada, taking advantage of the city’s business-friendly environment and affordable warehousing.
Four years later, Hemlock Park annually sells some 250,000 hand-poured, American-made candles to customers throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. The company’s candles and spa sets are available through its Shopify-powered site; on Amazon, where they’re a bestseller; and in over 2,500 retail stores worldwide, thanks to online wholesale marketplace Faire.com.
Leveraging online marketplaces’ big-business capabilities, Mikey says, is key to Hemlock Park’s success. Amazon’s valuable resources — including no-hassle business loans, sophisticated marketing tools, integrated logistics, and dedicated account managers — keep Hemlock Park’s operations streamlined so the team can focus on creating top-quality products. Moreover, they allow Hemlock Park to operate as a global candle supplier to spas, individuals, and boutiques while remaining a tight-knit team of just seven employees. “Without Amazon’s tools and support, we’d only be able to manage 500 orders a month,” Mikey says. “Using Fulfillment By Amazon, we can sell 500 candles a day.”
Similarly, online wholesale platform Faire allows Hemlock Park to connect with retailers, helping it develop a strong “brick-and-mortar” presence. Faire’s value, Mikey says, far outweighs its costs.
“Without Faire, we’d have to attend a dozen trade shows a year and employ a full-time wholesale manager,” he says. Mikey says today’s digital tools and platforms have allowed him to succeed in doing what he loves. “We’re a small local business selling handcrafted goods — on a global scale.”
