Hi, I’m Jordan!
My story
Hi, I’m Jordan, your chandler! As the Owner and Founder of The Candle Garden®, I am excited to share my passions of candles and plants with you. As the most powerful driver of memory and place, scent is a product that activates the senses and take you back to a memory or place.
To really get a sense for who I am I think meeting me is the best way. But to put in words: As a person, I am genuinely kind and I try to lift everyone up. I have a great sense for how others feel and I care about people and enjoy connecting with them — which is why I think I do well in business. I don’t believe “nice guys finish last.” I have a big family and got my entrepreneurial spirit from my parents. As an adult I can look back and see the sacrifices they made for myself and siblings. There was a time when we had just moved to Jacksonville and were living in a small apartment (five kids, my mom and dad). My dad worked at UPS loading trucks, Firehouse subs, and cooked at the stadium until he saved up money to open up his own store and move us into a house. Hopefully you’ve heard of Col. Mustard’s Phabulous Phat Burgers. This was their restaurant! My parents were hard-working and just like them, I do not give up. Because of them I have my grind and determination.
The Why
My signature scent for The Candle Garden® is Grapefruit Spice, which was inspired by my Mom. She found a unique body wash on a vacation in South Africa, but couldn’t find anything similar back home. My biggest regret is not going on this trip with her, because I was too afraid to ask for time off at my first job.
My mom passed away suddenly a few years ago. Going through grieving I was looking for an outlet, so I decided to really focus my energy into my candles. And…I kept the body wash. After research and some strategic mixing, I managed to generate a scent that is super meaningful to me, inspired by her favorite scent. When thinking about a scent, it can be as simple as “I just like it”, or it can evoke a special memory for you. Scents bring you back to a special time in your life, and it brings me such joy that I can help transport people by way of these candles.
History
On the stove. In the kitchen. Three to four candles at a time. This is how my candle making began! Ten years ago living in Fort Lauderdale, I would spend my evening patiently watching a thermometer heat up to the correct temperature and using a blow dryer to remove wax from the apartment floor. Good times! I called these candles “joJars” for Jordan (the mason jars in the adjacent photo haha!), and the decorative vessels I would create…I was trying y’all! I would go to local craft stores, buy whatever candle supplies were available and affordable, and would sell on Etsy. My first decorated mason jars would be painted and patterned using glued lace as a spray paint mask. This gave them my first signature look that I learned from and evolved over the years. As time went on I researched and learned the quality of a candle is of the utmost importance.
Now I’m using the best of the best of the best soy wax and scent oils, and continue to push myself creatively. To give you the best scent experience possible. And of course, on every vessel is my flying pig logo! Come into the shop to see what’s new!
