Bianca Facendo
“Good vibes only.”
It’s a mantra that fits well with the mood at The Gleeful Candle Co., but it’s also a scent—one that you can mix into a candle if you want to take some of those good vibes home.
Choosing a scent during a workshop at the Mechanicsburg shop is only one part of the process of crafting and pouring a homemade candle. For many customers, it’s the hardest part. Choosing just a few fragrant oils from the lineup of bottles with labels reading “cinnamon cider,” “peach” and “warm vanilla sugar” is near impossible for most, explained owner Bianca Facendo.
Facendo opened The Gleeful Candle in June, wanting to offer the area a creative experience and introduction to a hobby that she fell in love with over the past few years.
“The main reason I wanted to do this is because I’m a creative person, and I wanted to bring that passion to others,” she said.
The cozy shop, located on W. Main Street, is painted with soft neutral pinks, browns and ivory. Facendo wants it to be a place where people feel welcomed and comfortable. Music is always playing in the background—it’s all about the experience, she said.
When you book a class at The Gleeful Candle, Facendo will walk you through the entire process of making your own personalized candle. Each guest gets a tray full of all the supplies, including a glass jar, a wick and small tools. First is the difficult task of choosing your scents. Next, you melt your wax chips and mix in the oil scents. Once you pour the wax into the jar, you can add small decorative flowers into the mix and, of course, the wick.
Facendo offers candle-making workshops, private events and the occasional BYOB or themed parties. So far, she’s hosted bachelorette parties, daddy-daughter dates, groups of friends and surprise date nights, among other events.
“You’d be pleasantly surprised by how much you’ll enjoy learning the basics of a new skill and activity,” she said.
Facendo was looking for a new creative endeavor during the pandemic when she discovered and taught herself candle-making. She began regularly making them for herself and for friends before realizing the potential for a new business idea.
“The candles were smelling amazing, and I thought, ‘I could really get into this,’” she said. “I’ve always been good with my hands.”
From a young age, Facendo remembers attending craft fairs with her mom, who was very creative, she said. The pair would work on projects together, Facendo working the hot glue gun. It was a learning experience, but also a time of bonding, she said.
She quickly developed a “hustler mindset,” working her first job at 14. That later grew into a bug for entrepreneurship, and she started several small businesses around gourmet food. Once she got into candle-making, she knew she’d found something that others would enjoy, as well.
“I love being able to create something out of nothing,” she said. “I want other people to be proud of what they’ve made here.”
The first few months of business have been great, with lots of community members and groups booking classes, and some even returning for more, Facendo said. She sees the shop as filling a void of experience-based businesses in the area and giving locals something fun and unique to try. She also hopes it creates a way for customers to bond, just like she did while crafting with her mother all those years ago.
“I had a vision, and the vision is here,” she said. “It’s an unbelievable feeling seeing people enjoy it.”
The Gleeful Candle Co. is located at 62 W. Main St., Mechanicsburg. For more information, visit www.thegleefulcandle.com.
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