One of the most exciting and energizing parts of owning our Candleman of Valencia store is making sure we are always bringing in fresh new merchandise for our customers and offering products you won’t find at the big box retailers or department stores. My wife Karen and I traveled to the largest gift show in the United States, the Atlanta Gift Show, in early January. We arrived in eight degree weather and on our first night we watched a snowstorm come in and blanket the Downtown Atlanta area from our hotel. It seemed surreal having just flown in from Los Angeles with 70 degree weather.
The market is held in the America’s Mart complex, three buildings that are each 18 stories high, so we had on our comfortable walking shoes!
The mood of the market was very upbeat, and busy! Everyone is tired of all the negativity in the media about the recession, and while we are all going through difficult times, we must remain positive. As the old saying goes: “Attitude is everything.”
One of the continuing strategies for many of us is the 3/50 program, a program that we have featured in our store most of last year. The 3/50 program is simple. Saving the brick and mortar stores our nation is built on. Think about which three independently owned businesses you would miss the most if they were gone. Stop in and say hello. Pick up a little something that will make someone smile. If you spent $50 a month in independently owned businesses, you would be doing your part to keep businesses around and not closing their doors like we saw so much of last year. For every $100 spent in independently owned stores, $68 returns to the community. In a National Chain, only $43 stays here.
New products that were shown throughout our industry included more highly fragranced jar candles and reed diffusers, SPA-inspired scents, personal space scents, bright “crackle glass” votive holders and jar accessories, and inspirational products.
There was also a trend toward more customization of scents, from Woodwicks “trilogy” blend of three fragrances all in one jar to Archipelago Botanicals “fragrance bar” of reed diffuser refills, colored reed and varying shapes of glass vessels for a custom scent approach for home or office.
Look for these and many other new products coming in this spring. And remember to “Think Santa Clarita Valley” and shop local.
Candleman is located in the Gateway Village shopping center at Newhall Ranch Road and Rye Canyon at 28269 Newhall Ranch Road. For more information, please call 661-257-9420 or visit www.candlesscentsanddecor.com .