How a Candle I Made for Myself Turned Into Leslie Ave. Candle Co.

I never set out to start a candle company. I just wanted a candle that didn't leave black soot all over my furniture.

I'd been searching everywhere for something clean and actually beautiful — the kind of candle that looked good on my coffee table and didn't fill my home with stuff I couldn't pronounce (or clean up). After all my research, I figured I'd just make my own. I have the "how hard can it be?" gene.

A Midwest Girl, A Lot of Trial and Error

I'm a Midwestern girl (even though I much prefer the coast...story for a different day). Grew up an athlete, which means I learned early that hard work and discipline are my love language. But I've also had my share of seasons where I felt misunderstood...like I was carrying way more than I knew how to put down.

Anxiety has been part of my story for a long time. And what I wanted, more than anything, was a space that felt calm. Somewhere I could just… exhale.

Turns out, lighting the right candle can do that. Who knew.

So I started experimenting. A lot. There were candles that tunneled, candles that smelled amazing cold and like nothing once lit, candles that taught me what NOT to do. My background as a health professional made one thing non-negotiable from day one: everything had to be clean. No toxins, no artificial dyes, nothing I wouldn't want around my own family. If it didn't pass that test, it didn't make the cut.

Why "Leslie Ave."

The name is a love letter to where it all started...a little street called Leslie Avenue, where I poured my very first batches in a kitchen that definitely was not designed for candle making.

I've since moved, but I kept the name on purpose. It's a reminder that humble beginnings really can turn into something special. That you don't need a fancy setup or a perfect plan to start. You just need to start.

What I'd Tell You If You're Sitting On a Dream

If there's something you keep coming back to (a craft, an idea, a little "what if" you can't shake) I hope you'll take this as your sign.

You don't have to know where it's going. I sure didn't. I just knew I loved making something with my hands that made my own space feel better, and I trusted that little spark enough to keep showing up for it.

The growth has been slow and steady, the way good things usually are. My husband Jared is my behind-the-scenes MVP. He handles all the tedious stuff, like wicking the jars, organizing the shelves, etc. My family, my friends, my OG customers who believed in me before there was much to believe in...this brand exists because of them.

What I Hope You Feel

When you light a Leslie Ave. candle, I hope it gives you a moment. A pause. A breath that feels a little deeper than the last one.

I hope your home feels like the kind of place where you can finally set things down. Where the noise of the day gets a little quieter. Where you remember that peace isn't something you have to earn, it's something you're allowed to have.

That's the whole reason I make these. Not for the aesthetic (though, listen, I do love a beautiful candle). For the feeling. To remind people that amongst the intense stressors of life, you can find moments of peace and joy.

Whatever you're chasing right now...a dream, more peace, a version of life that feels more like you...I'm cheering you on.

Thanks for being here.

xo, Allie ✨