Riverside Soy Candles

Choose a candle off the shelf – or make your own

Thacker, is a delight for the senses. Featuring over 70 wonderful candle scents with clever, creative names, the shop sells not just candles, but also includes wax melts, room sprays, hand sanitizers, greeting cards, hats, decorative gnomes, crocheted items, shirts and magnets.

Currently, the store is reserved for private classes, but Riverside Soy products can be purchased at a variety of local businesses, including Northwoods Confections & Gifts, Duluth Antique Marketplace, Grandma’s Saloon & Grill, Casa Latte, Weeping Willow, Superior Finds, Bergquist Imports.

Beginnings

Before starting her business, Hagen Thacker worked in the dermatology field.

When her mom, Donna Hagen, started making hats, Hagen Thacker had an epiphany.

“That’s how the business got started,” she said. “My mom was making hats, so I said, ‘I can try to make candles.’”

Donna Hagen also makes the sweet, decorative gnomes that are a big hit at the shop.

Hagen Thacker began making soy-based candles eight years ago out of her basement in the Riverside neighborhood, hence the business’ name. She explained that candles made from soy are cleaner-burning, burn slower and last a lot longer than traditional candles.

One thing led to another, and her business was officially born in 2018. She now operates from a shabby-chicthemed storefront in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. The production area is located in the back of the shop.

Other than Hagen Thacker, Riverside Soy Candles’ only other employees are her mom, Donna, and 18-year-old daughter, Ivy Thacker.

Our class

When attending a candle-making class, the first step is choosing your scent. For our group, this task was surprisingly overwhelming.

For Quinones, smelling the candles unearthed a bit of the past.

“It brought up a lot of memory triggers for me,” she said.

“It was a little overwhelming,” Carlson noted, “just because they all smell so good.”

“It was really fun to walk around and smell all the great scents,” Ronquist added.

We ultimately selected our scents. Carlson went with Shimmering Mermaid; Ronquist chose Toes in the Sand; Quinones selected Chai Tea, and I picked Lily of the Valley. Hagen Thacker said her favorite (and the shop’s bestseller) is the Minnesota White Pine scent.

Next, we all selected a jar. There are 8- and 16-ounce mason jars, and a variety of more “artsy,” decorative jars. Alternatively, customers can also bring in their own jars.

With Hagen Thacker’s help, we measured and poured the melted wax and mixed in our scents, with the cotton wick already in place. After the wax was poured, it took about 45 minutes for the candle to set.

The last step was to decorate our jars. Hagen Thacker keeps a wide variety of fun labels and stickers on hand, and we personalized our jars; ranging from a minimalist look to busy and colorful.

Holiday shopping, camaraderie, and more

We all agreed that Riverside Soy Candles is a great place to do some holiday shopping, but we enjoyed the camaraderie of taking a class together, too.

“It’s a great way to catch up with your friends,” Quinones said. “And you can create your own gifts, and put your personal touch on them by choosing the scent, jar and decorations.”

While the storefront is currently reserved for private classes, Hagen Thacker plans to begin offering walk-in hours soon. Until then, her products can be purchased at the local stores listed above, or on the Riverside Soy Candles website. Another fun option is the Candle of the Month Club, where a surprise scented candle is mailed to you for $20 per month.

From browsing and smelling, to choosing your finishes and simply visiting, this was a very enjoyable teambuilding experience for our group. Quinones summarized the experience of our class with this mirthful comment: “Watching candle wax dry is a lot more fun than watching paint dry.” D For more information, visit riversidesoycandles.com, or find them on Facebook.