Mom and son that launched business just before lockdowns opening Mississauga store
There's a store opening up in Mississauga that isn't only special because it's run by a mom and 19-year-old son, but also because it's the culmination of a dream that was delayed way back in 2020.
"Luxe & Little started in February 2020 and less than 3 weeks later was shut down due to the pandemic. It was hard, really hard," mom Delight Greenidge tells blogTO.
"We had just spent a year and a half doing research and development to get our candles to not only look and smell great, but most important to remove food odours, pet odours and smoke odours. We didn't want to be just another candle company."
Now, they've finally opened a refillery store at Erin Mills Town Centre under the name Luxe & Friends, selling their vegan, soy wax candles made with high-quality fragrances and essential oils.
"My son Spenser is 19 and we've always been a team. I'm a single mom, have been for 19 years and we've spent almost every day of the last 19 years together," says Greenidge.
"He's smart, resourceful, a quick thinker and has a natural aptitude for business. Working with him is a joy. He's very funny and we have a lot of laughs. Running a business is tough and he's able to find solutions for the many challenges that come our way on a daily basis."
Of course, one of the main challenges for Delight and Spenser continuing to get their business off the ground during lockdowns was that people weren't as focused on buying luxury products like candles as their essential needs.
"Looking out my front window, I saw several cars in every driveway on my street and decided to go door-knocking in my neighbourhood. I spoke from the heart, people related and bought the candles," says Greenidge.
"As we were out in the community selling our candles, we knew we wanted to open a store."
Then she felt the issue was they only had eight products: a few scented candles and one unscented variety, an odour-neutralizing spray, a citronella candle and a bug spray.
They decided the solution would be to reach out to other small businesses whose products complemented theirs to bring into the store that also functions as a refillery. They're still interested in bringing on more new products.
"Every Luxe product is refillable so customers are able to order candle refills after their first container candle. It's new and innovative and you get the same odour-eliminating candle in a refill pillar candle that drops right into your existing container and burns exactly like a container candle. Once lit, you cannot tell the difference," says Greenidge.
"There was [nothing like this] in Mississauga and it was a great fit for our business. Luxe is a small eco-friendly company and we manufacture our products sustainably. Having a refillery with products that are all Canadian, eco-friendly, made sustainably and of the highest quality is important. We are the first refill gallery/refillery in the city of Mississauga."
They're now offering products like dish soap, foaming hand soap, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, detergent and other cleaners, and you can bring in your own old containers to fill up or grab one from the store.
They've got big plans for the future, with hopes to host classes on how to make products like candles and soaps, and open locations across the country. Spenser is also at work on a concept of his own related to kids and youth that he hopes to launch this summer.
Luxe & Friends
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