From home candle making to Township 5, the locally owned shop marks a milestone while supporting small businesses and charitable causes.
Witty Wicks Candles & Gift Shop is celebrating 15 years in business, growing from a home candle-making operation and a booth at the CNY Regional Market into a storefront at Township 5 in Camillus.
Owner Aubry Ludington started the business in 2011, making candles at home while raising her children. As orders grew, her basement became a workspace, with friends and neighbors helping after dropping their children off at school.
Witty Wicks opened its first storefront in the village of Camillus in April 2016 before moving to Township 5 in 2018.
“When I started making candles at home, I was hoping to build a business that fit around my family,” Ludington said. “To think that something I started in my basement has become part of other families’ traditions is incredibly meaningful. Every time someone chooses to shop with us, they’re helping us keep doing what we love, support other small businesses and give back to the community that helped us get here.”
Hand-poured soy candles remain a staple of the business, alongside gifts, home decor and locally themed apparel. The store emphasizes products from local makers, women-owned brands and other small businesses.
Its Give Back candle collection supports organizations including Vera House, Hope for Heather and the David J. Cotter Memorial Scholarship Fund, which benefits students in the West Genesee School District. The recent I AM JANE DOE candle campaign raised $7,356 for Vera House, a Syracuse-based nonprofit serving people affected by domestic and sexual violence.
Witty Wicks will mark the anniversary with a customer celebration Saturday, Nov. 7, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 190 Township Blvd., Suite 20, in Camillus.
Read more about the business and celebration:
https://wittywicks.com/blogs/news/witty-wicks-15th-anniversary-camillus-ny