Originally published as "New Flames" in Philadelphia Magazine's October 2023 issue.
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.
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 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.
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