The inviting scent of warm soy wax and luxury fragrance oils drifting out onto historic White Street is the first hint that something special is happening inside White Street Market Candle Company. Step through the door, and you’ll find owner Michelle Vincent’s signature “pour bar,” where guests blend custom fragrances, choose trendy vessels, and hand-pour candles that cool while they explore Downtown Wake Forest.
“It was sort of an odd twist of fate,” said Vincent. “I’d just lost my job, was thinking of buying a business, saw the listing, and remembered telling my sister in Colorado that she should add pour parties to her own candle line. Suddenly, the concept landed in my lap.”
When Vincent purchased the business, live candle-making sessions were already part of the experience, but she refined the focus. “We’ve eliminated a lot of the random merchandise and focused on giving every customer a memorable, upscale yet welcoming session,” she said. “We’ve also teamed up with local partners to do some collaboration events that have all been really fun.”
Today, White Street Market has grown from one creative studio in Wake Forest to two, with a second location, the Wisp Candle Studio, now open in Garner. “The Wake Forest studio vibe is more spa-like, very bright, organized, zen,” said Vincent. “The Garner studio has more of a chill coffeehouse feel.”
Vincent and her team put a great deal of thought into making the space inclusive and accessible. “We’ve made the experience work for all ages and abilities,” she said. “We added lower seating for folks with mobility issues or young kids, created a sensory-friendly approach for those who might be overwhelmed by scents, and converted the old retail section into a private table for groups who want their own space.”
At the heart of the candle-making experience is creativity, guided by Vincent’s team. “Our store manager, Whitney, is the scent guru behind our custom blends,” said Vincent. “We have hundreds of luxury fragrance oils at our disposal, so curating a new and unique collection once a quarter is part of the fun. I’m constantly hunting down trendy and adorable vessels that I’d want to pour myself. Our new embossed and hobnail jars for spring and summer sold out almost immediately.”
The Garner location was never part of the original plan. “But we saw the space and just loved it,” Vincent said. “It’s a really unique all-glass unit. We saw the opportunity to expand to another part of the Raleigh metro area without too much extra hassle.”
The layout posed a challenge—there was no usable sink in the space—but that hurdle turned into an unexpected opportunity. “A location without a sink forced us to completely rethink how we do things,” said Vincent. “We had to overhaul our entire pour process, which ended up opening the doors for us to take the show on the road. Now we can do live pours at markets, festivals, weddings, and corporate events without needing a full cleanup station.”
The company’s impact goes beyond candles. “We love being a place where the community can come out and have fun, but we also want to be part of a whole local afternoon or evening,” said Vincent. “Since our candles take about two hours to cool, we encourage guests to grab a drink, have a donut, visit a bookstore, and then come back. It creates this great ripple effect for other small businesses nearby.”
Partnerships have played a major role in shaping White Street Market’s presence. The team has collaborated with Jubilation Spa, PlantCakes Bakery, and Art & Soul Sisters for paint-and-pour events. “We’re also starting a fun partnership with Unwined [on White] where we’ll feature their wine of the week in our studio, and they’ll feature our scent of the week at their place,” said Vincent. “It’s going to be more of an open house feel. A social hour where people can stop in after work, try some wine, make a candle, or just hang out.”
She’s especially proud of how the business supports the broader community. “We’ve created a special room spray called ‘Puppy Love’ that benefits local animal rescues,” said Vincent. “And we regularly donate gift baskets or raffle items for local charities. It’s great exposure for us, and we love helping support community organizations.”
Running the business remotely has come with its fair share of learning moments. “After a $600 water bill, we added ‘check the toilet isn’t running’ to our daily checklist,” Vincent said with a laugh. “You don’t think about those things until they happen.”
What keeps her going is the joy customers bring to the space. “Sometimes it’s a first date, sometimes it’s a 30th anniversary,” she said. “I love that people choose us to share their celebrations. It’s about spending time together, making a memory, not just buying a gift card. People have so much fun doing it, and I just love seeing that.”
Looking ahead, White Street Market is expanding its offerings to include more affordable pricing for kids, seniors, and budget-conscious guests, as well as new upgrades and event formats. “We’d love to do more kids’ events now that we have a kid-friendly space, and more weddings for sure,” said Vincent. “Corporate groups are logistically tricky, but they provide such great team-building experiences. The biggest comment we still get is, ‘Wow, I never knew this place existed!’ So getting our name out there is mission number one.”
Jason Cannon, President of the Wake Forest Business and Industry Partnership, sees the shop as a shining example of what’s possible in the town. “White Street Market exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit that makes Wake Forest shine,” said Cannon. “By turning a creative idea into a thriving destination—and by collaborating so generously with neighbors—Michelle and her team are igniting both economic growth and community connection. They are an important part of what makes Wake Forest so special.”
From new beginnings to family memories, Vincent and her team are proving that creativity, connection, and a bit of candlelight can transform a business and a community.
