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Meghan and Chris Cook craft candles in Manchester. (Photo by Jay Paul)
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Sydney Hale Co.'s top-selling scents include bourbon and brown sugar, eucalyptus and sage, and tobacco and sandalwood. (Photo by Jay Paul)
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Sydney Hale Co.'s soy candles are hand-poured. (Photo by Jay Paul)
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Georgia, one of the Cooks' dogs, joins them at their Manchester space. The Cooks donate 10 percent of profits to dog-rescue organizations. (Photo by Jay Paul)
When Meghan Cook started crafting candles more than 10 years ago as a hobby, she never expected it to grow into a full-fledged wholesale business, the Sydney Hale Co.
Cook and her husband, Chris, were both working full-time jobs when they started out, pouring candles in their condo in Northern Virginia. As their customer base grew and more boutiques started carrying their products, the hobby became a business that demanded their attention full time.
They both had family in Richmond, so in April they moved their operation into a warehouse in Manchester. The space is large enough to accommodate all aspects of the business: production, packing, shipping and receiving.
The candles are hand-poured by Meghan, Chris and their full-time employee, Shahana Insari (also a Richmond magazine contributor). They also have two part-time employees. All of the materials they use are sourced in the United States.
Top-selling scents include bourbon and brown sugar, eucalyptus and sage, and tobacco and sandalwood. Some fragrances are also available in room sprays.
Candles cost $30 or more, and are available at shops such as Mongrel, Strawberry Fields Flowers and Finds, Gather and U-Fab. They are available online at sydneyhaleco.com.
While customers often ask for Sydney, the name incorporates Meghan’s grandfather’s middle name, Sydney, and Chris’ middle/family name, Hale. The Cooks donate 10 percent of profits to dog rescue organizations. Sydney Hale candles are sold in small businesses around the country and Canada, so they contribute to many different nonprofits.
The couple are clearly animal lovers: Owen, a Yorkie, and Georgia, a Sato (aka chief morale officer), keep them company in their Manchester space. Owen was partly responsible for Meghan’s drive to turn Sydney Hale into a full-time gig.
“I would whisper to him almost every day before I left, ‘Don’t worry, buddy: One day, I’m going to make that work, and you’re going to be my business partner and we’re going to work together.’ And then I did,” she says.
