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Staff Writer CHICOPEE Follow the signs that say "Candles" down into the basement of Dock # 2 in the Cabotville Industrial Park on 165 Front Street, walk into James Hogan's store, the Candles Co., and there's a good chance that you might feel as if you've been misled. What you encounter isn't candles but towering, seemingly endless stacks of Miller, Dr. Pepper and 7-Up cans. So you've been fooled, right? Wrong. What you're seeing are beer and soda cans, but enclosed in the authentic metal casing of the cans is a candle one that is offered in a variety of well-known scents such as honeydew melon, freesia, and white linen. With a license with Miller, 7-Up, and Dr. Pepper, Hogan spent ten years whole-saling the candle to stores such as Newbury Comics, Spencer Gifts and Hallmark before opening up his retail store on Front Street a month ago. He continues to offer the product to a variety of venues in 45 states and three countries. He said his idea to have the candle inside of the can was sparked when he worked at a package store, and someone came in the store and inquired as to whether or not they could sell their candles in the store. Hogan explained that the Miller, 7-UP and Dr. Pepper companies send him their cans prior to their final assembly. "The cans are on their way to getting filled, and they basically take a left turn and get shipped to me," he said. He added that the cans are shipped prior to having its top sealed all the way around so that the top can open as a candle. The candles, which are priced at $2.99, come in a variety of scents, which he said "are always changing." Some of these scents currently include ocean, vanilla, red delicious, citronella, and hot apple pie. Other scents include cologne scents such as Drakkar and Obsession. The candles, which are made right in his store and have been tested by the National Candles Association, are filled with sand at the bottom for temperature control, and burn slowly and evenly, according to Hogan. In addition to selling the candles in the can, Hogan also offers a variety of other candles in various scents and sizes that are priced as follow: $1.90 for a 3 ounce candle; $4.99 for a 6 ounce candle; $5.99 for a 7.5 ounce candle; $6.99 for a 16 ounce candle; and $9.99 for a 18 ounce candle. Votives are two for a $1 or 59 cents, and candles with promotion labels are also available. With every purchase, customers are given a free votive. While all of his products have been selling well, Hogan said that the candles in the can account for an estimated 80 percent of his sales. He said that most popular buy is the Miller candle, which comes in the Miller Lite can, the Miller Genuine Draft can, and Miller High Life can. He said that he is hopeful to someday acquire a license with Coors and with Coca-Cola. He said he used to have a license with Budweiser, which he said was discontinued when the company was seeking to alter their image. Although Hogan's store has only been open for the past month, he said that he is "very optimistic," about business, considering that he is already having a profitable first quarter. Hogan has a variety of other projects he's looking to sell in the near future, including candles encased in mugs, which can later be re-used as beverage containers, as well as candle in pots made from the Shadowing Pottery, a company based out of Georgia. Store hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, call 594-2001. | ||||||
