“My partner brought me to St. Louis!”
It’s a familiar refrain in the Gateway City. Whether for love, opportunity or a change of scenery, people from all walks of life – artists, musicians, makers, chefs, entrepreneurs, educators and innovators – are making their way to St. Louis, bringing their talents, experiences and fresh ideas with them.
For J.D. and Kate Dobson, it was a combination of all three. The couple met in Washington, D.C., but when they decided to start a family, they set their sights on J.D.’s hometown, drawn by its affordability, cultural offerings, sense of community and room to put down roots.
Their move to St. Louis set the stage for the growth of their independent candle business. Before launching JD + Kate Industries, J.D. worked as a lobbyist and Kate as a comics editor. They also wrote humor in their spare time – “yes, in our spare time, never at work,” Kate quips. As a joke, they started making candles to monetize their humor writing.
“We thought of the perfect ruse to get people to buy our humor writing, and believe it or not, this has been our full-time job for 10 years now,” Kate says. “I don’t think we could have found the same success in another city. St. Louis is just the right size: big enough that numerous stores want to sell our products and small enough that people still care about shopping local.”
“We wouldn’t be where we are today without the support of the local community,” J.D. adds.
Featured in major media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, CBS News, The Wall Street Journal and BuzzFeed, the Dobsons’ candles draw on historical and literary themes, with elaborate wax details helping sell the story.
The Boston Tea Party candle, featuring wax tea chests bobbing in the water, smells like iced tea, naturally – “because that’s what it smells like when you dump 46 tons of tea into Boston Harbor during a New England winter.”
The Edgar Allan Poe candle, complete with a tiny wax raven perched on top to taunt you, smells like musty old books – “so you should think about whether or not that appeals to you.”
Meanwhile, the Fall of Rome candle combines the scents of cypress trees and red wine. The Dobsons suggest lighting it and watching the Roman Forum melt into a puddle of wax while quietly contemplating the impermanence of civilization — and candles.
If you’d rather get into the spirit of Victorian detective work, you can light the wax pipe atop the Sherlock Holmes candle and hold it in front of your window to send signals to your assistant.
Looking for the quintessential gift for a St. Louisan? The St. Louis candle features a wax toasted ravioli sprinkled with Parmesan and dipped in marinara! It captures the aroma of Italian cooking spices rather than a deep fryer – which, let’s face it, isn’t a scent anyone wants in a candle.
That’s just a whiff of what’s in store. Check online to see which candle speaks to your soul.
You can also find these cheeky candles at several St. Louis shops, including Addi Lu’s in Mehlville, Gold Shoe Books in University City, The Novel Neighbor in Webster Groves, Sammysoap in Kirkwood, Series Six in Lindenwood Park, the Riverboat Gift Shop in Gateway Arch National Park and Sold on St. Louis at the Missouri History Museum.
“When I tell people that I have a small candle business, they invariably name someone they know who loves candles, and I say, ‘They probably won’t like our candles – unless they’re also into the Late Bronze Age collapse or the War of 1812.’”
– Kate Dobson
The intricate wax dioramas, which range from Stonehenge to the Bermuda Triangle to Manderley, are what set JD + Kate Industries apart.
“That was all J.D.,” Kate says. “He made them much more complicated than I ever would have.”
A candle depicting the Titanic barreling toward an iceberg – what’s so complicated about that?
“Now, when I come up with an idea for a new candle, I write it on a whiteboard outside the candle room in our house, and approximately 48 hours later, it appears,” Kate continues with a laugh. “Funnily enough, that is my reality.”
The themes reflect the couple’s interests, but they’re also shaped by the ebb and flow of the business.
“If sales are slow, we think about what kinds of candles people might want to buy,” J.D. explains. “If we’re feeling overwhelmed, that’s when we indulge in our weirdest ideas.”
“That’s how we end up with candles like Salute to Canals,” Kate adds. “When I tell people that I have a small candle business, they invariably name someone they know who loves candles, and I say, ‘They probably won’t like our candles – unless they’re also into the Late Bronze Age collapse or the War of 1812.’ Although, maybe they are. I shouldn’t assume.”
With their witty, wonderfully irreverent creations, JD + Kate Industries puts its own spin on candle-making, drawing inspiration from the characters, events and eccentricities of the past. Whether your interests lie in history, literature or more peculiar pursuits, there’s probably a candle for that.
“Just remember to burn any and all candles safely,” J.D. advises.
“But do burn them – safely,” Kate chimes in.
“Otherwise, everyone will eventually have one, and we’ll have to go back to real jobs,” J.D. implores.
