Candles do a lot to make a room feel inviting. There’s an instant ambience created by setting a wick alight and filling a space with the fragrance of pine needles and balsam in winter or peaches and basil in summer—and inside Candlefish, an airy store-workshop combination down in Charleston, you’ll find all manner of seasonal votives in profusion. 

Candlefish has a library of 100 different fragrances that are numbered rather than named, allowing for choices to be made based on sensory experience alone. Described as an “artisanal haven,” what sets this place apart from the rest is a clear commitment to true creative skill and quality that shines through in each and every one of its products. From the company’s community-oriented perspective to their candle-making workshops and uniquely hands-on shopping model, Candlefish is doing something really unique in encouraging customers to learn about the spark behind the flame.

I’m visiting Charleston soon and am so excited to stop by this store. I always have candles burning, and I love when I find the “perfect” one to complement whatever atmosphere I’m going for at the time. As someone who can be highly indecisive, too, I find Candlefish’s practice of stripping away the excess and letting your senses alone guide you towards a particular bouquet to be intriguing! With any luck, I’ll only walk out the door with one or two candles. But you never know.