Tina Smagala had spent about three decades working in corporate human resources and communications in various industries, and she was looking to try something else for a change.
And then one day last February, her husband, Steve Smagala, arrived home from work to his wife smiling and saying: “I did something.”
Sea Love Candle Bar & Boutique, celebrating its grand opening this week at Coconut Point in Estero, was born as an idea that day, as Tina Smagala decided to reinvent herself as a candle shop franchise owner.
Sea Love is at 23191 Fashion Drive, Suite 121, at Coconut Point, just across from Dillard’s.
The shop sells 14 “signature scent” candles but also candle-making experiences, as experiential retail continues to rise. Customers can spend about an hour choosing their own scents and then making their own candles. Price start at $42 (for a small candle generating 40 to 50 hours of burn time) and go up to $48 for medium (60 to 70 hours of burn time) or $54 for large (80 to 90 hours of burn time).
There are 107 scents in the store from which to choose. They can be combined using two to three at a time, meaning some 100,000 variations of scents can be created in the store. Smagala called it the “magic of scent blending.”
“I started looking at entrepreneurial ideas to start my own business,” Smagala said. “I had an epiphany. I did a Google search for candle-making businesses.”
Sea Love popped up.
Founded by Stacy and Barry Miller in Kennebunkport, Maine, Sea Love began in 2017 with Stacy Miller making candles in her home’s basement.
When COVID-19 shut down the world in March 2020, Stacy Miller began fine-tuning her visions of a franchise. At about the same time, Tina Smagala began thinking about her future. The franchise has since grown to 14 locations with two more on the way. This marks the second Florida location following one in Dunedin.
“The main attraction is the candle bar, where you can custom-scent blend and create and pour your own candle or room diffuser and use all-natural ingredients,” Smagala said. “We have a fragrance wall over here. Over 100 fragrances to choose from. All of our fragrances are infused with essential oils that are plant-based, so there’s no harmful chemicals. No phthalates. No hormone disruptors. All of our wax is 100% U.S.-based soy wax, so there’s no petroleum in it that is harmful to you and the environment.
“Our wicks are 100% cotton, so you get a long burn, and you get a clean burn.”
Sea Love opened with a soft launch March 9. Smagala has been marketing the products on social media and through the Greater Fort Myers and Estero chambers of commerce. She was surprised to learn, so far, that Mondays have been her best day for sales.
Customers making candles also have the option to do so while drinking wine, Prosecco or beer while at the candle-making bar.
“People come here to celebrate the everyday successes in life and also to celebrate special occasions,” Smagala said. She said her new career move has been a great one. “I wanted the last chapter of my career to be something really fun and something that inspired people to be happy and joy-filled.
“Everybody who walks through the doors at Sea Love, they’re instantly in a great mood. They’re so happy and smiling when they’re making candles.”
