Peek Inside Mount Airy Candle Co.’s New Studio
Owner Marques Davis shares the details on his expanded space and his latest candle fragrances.
Marques Davis in his new Mount Airy Candle Co. East Falls studio / Photography by Jauhien Sasnou
It’s officially sweater weather — the time for pumpkin-spice lattes, cozying up with a warm blanket, and lighting a candle that smells of autumn. That’s where Mount Airy Candle Co. comes in. Here, owner Marques Davis shares the details on his expanded studio and the latest scents for fall.
I make: hand-poured and uniquely scented candles.
I began: very unintentionally. It was holiday season 2018, and instead of running out on Christmas Eve like I typically do, I decided to make DIY candles for family, friends, co-workers. Thankfully, they really enjoyed them, and requests for more soon followed. I officially launched in 2019.
The candlemaking process at Mount Airy Candle Co.
My process: begins by acknowledging all the chandlers out there. Everyone has their different approach. My brand has a classic aesthetic that comes through in our packaging — kraft paper, amber-colored glass vessels, white-and-black labels. We keep the presentation simple, but we home in on scent curation. We use soy wax because it burns longer than paraffin — a common type of candle wax — and casts a scent whether it’s burning or not. We melt that wax down, add the scents, line up the hand-wicked vessels — we use cotton and paper wicks — and pour the candles. There’s chemistry and choreography.
The retail and lounge area at Mount Airy Candle Co.
The new studio: opened in East Falls in September and is about 1,600 square feet. It was time to move the operation out of my house; I had started stumbling over myself because there were too many boxes. We have a small retail and lounge area as well.
Next up: There are a couple new scents for fall. My favorite is Figs & Pink Pepper. It’s paired with vetiver and feels cozy and homey. We have two pumpkin scents: Pumpkin & Chai Spice and Pumpkin Pound Cake. Another is Cashmere & Musk. It has more of that sandalwood quality but also an elevated, elegant softness.
We’re currently working on: a handcrafted perfume collection that will also hopefully launch this fall. I can’t share what the scents are yet. I’m still tinkering in the lab, making sure they’re just right.
Published as “New Flames” in the October 2023 issue of Philadelphia magazine.
