Seawicks Candle Co., at 289 Route 1 in Edgecomb. Until the store is fully staffed, owner Michael Gaffney said the yellow buoy outside will signal when the store is open. (Ali Juell photo)
Seawicks Candle Co. is returning to its roots with a new brick-and-mortar location in Edgecomb.
Owners Cara and Michael Gaffney now operate two stores in Lincoln County with their Boothbay Harbor location and a brand new shop at 289 Route 1 in Edgecomb.
The candle company started on the couple’s Edgecomb property 14 years ago in a workshop next to their cottage. Michael Gaffney said he was recently looking back at pictures and reflecting on how far Seawicks has come.
“We’d be making candles from six o’clock to two o’clock in the morning in that little, tiny space,” Michael Gaffney said. “It’s cool to be able to come back to Edgecomb and still have the store in Boothbay (Harbor).”
The business has graduated from the makeshift workshop to two Lincoln County locations and wholesale. Seawicks’ candles are now in Whole Foods, L.L. Bean stores and The Holy Donut shops across New England as well as several local stores.
“When we first started we were making maybe 100 candles at a time,” Michael Gaffney said. “Last year, we poured over 32,000 candles.”
A lot has changed, he said, but the soy candles remain the same. Seawicks’ candles require special production conditions, he said, so the candles are crafted with a hands-on approach free of chemical additives.
“We’ve been doing it the same way since we started,” he said. “The same wax, the same glass, the same wick.”
Seawicks operated a production facility in Richmond from 2021 to July of this year, Michael Gaffney said. The new Edgecomb location houses production while providing a welcoming storefront, he said.
Having production in Edgecomb also means he and his wife are always a stone’s throw from friends and family.
“Being back here is basically like being home,” he said.
The store, which officially opened its doors over Indigenous Peoples’ Day weekend, is outfitted with coastal vintage decor and seating. In addition to being a place to buy candles and select home goods, Michael Gaffney said he wants the store to be a space to hang out.
He said he hopes to have social events at the new store, including fundraising events for local charitable organizations and possibly candle-making classes.
Though Seawicks has a website, Michael Gaffney said he’s proud to enrich the local community by maintaining two physical locations.
“I’d rather go into the store and talk to somebody, touch things, see things … than buy online,” he said. “I just think you need to have the lights on for the towns and the communities.”
At present, the Edgecomb location’s hours are not yet solidified, as the couple is running the store without additional staff. Until additional employees are hired, Michael Gaffney said customers should look out for the yellow buoy on the store’s exterior to know if the store is open.
As Seawicks settles into its new location, Michael Gaffney said he’s preparing for ramped up demand thanks to holiday shoppers. The store and the production facility still need some finishing touches, he said, but he looks forward to seeing customers new and old at the Edgecomb shop.
“We put the pieces together, and now it feels good,” he said. “I think we still have some work to do, but it feels right.”
Seawicks Candle Co. is located at 289 Route 1 in Edgecomb and 4 Townsend Ave. in Boothbay Harbor. For more information, go to seawicks.com or call 504-6212.
