Our Story
Jolene Tench, called JoJo by her friends, really loves candles: tall ones, short ones, plain ones, fancy ones. When friends of hers began selling Scentsy and Partylite candles, she bought as many as she could possibly afford. Being a smart and supportive partner, her husband Casey one day brought home a brilliant gift: 50 pounds of candle wax and an 18-gallon tote full of assorted candle-making supplies including color chips and scented oils.
Speaking of her husband, they moved to Los Osos ten years ago from Ventura, where she was born and raised. His family had been visiting Los Osos since 1999 for weekend getaways. When the young couple’s rental lease was up in Ventura, they decided to move north and settle in to this community.
Looking at her new box of goodies, JoJo was excited. She hadn’t made candles since 6th grade but soon found experimenting with different ratios and temperatures almost like playing with a big Chemistry kit. It was actually pretty fun and quickly became a science that she wanted to deeply understand. For example, beeswax and soy wax burn at very different temperatures. Adding fragrance at just the right time and temperature makes a difference in how intensely (or not) the candle is scented. It was quite a learning curve but after a couple years of trial and error, she felt adept at the craft of candle-making.
With the right recipe and a ton of enthusiasm, JoJo started selling at craft shows, festivals, and Farmers’ Markets. In 2013, she left her previous career (insurance) and took the big leap—turning her passion into her very own small business, full time. She loves meeting her customers in person and teaching them about the art and science of candles. Some of her favorite experiences were selling at the Cambria Christmas Market, with the joyful rush of so many excited people each night.
Being industrious and proactive, she and Casey founded the Waterfront Market in 2017, an outdoor market in Morro Bay, one weekend per month, from May through October. So in addition to selling her own candles, she was also managing the space and schedules for 300 vendors of handcrafted items. Pre-Covid, they were fully booked for 2020, approved by the city to host even more weekends. Sadly they had to cancel them all but are keeping their fingers crossed for starting up again in 2021.
The Morro Bay Farmers’ Market is currently open, so she sells there Saturdays. With other festivals and craft fairs cancelled, her income plummeted. She really misses those customers and is more dependent than ever on her Etsy sales. There she sells tea lights, votives, and glass jar candles.
What makes her candles special, besides the love and passion for her craft she puts into each one, are the quality ingredients at the right ratio. She’s careful to only use fragrances that are non-toxic to pets and she avoids certain scents that can cause some people headaches. When someone orders from her, she hand pours the candles at that time. Some of the most popular candles are “Birthday Cake” (shaped and scented like a cupcake), “Lemongrass,” and “Sex on the Beach” which smells like… um… a popular cocktail.
When asked how Los Osos could help her through this unusual time, she asked that people take a look at her Etsy candle shop and see what’s there. Then the next time you want to buy candles, for gifts or home use, buy from your local neighborhood candle lady, instead of a corporation. If you’re in Los Osos, you can order by email, pay through Venmo or PayPal, and pick up in Los Osos, avoiding the need for a shipping fee. She has a Facebook page you could “Like” and follow and she appreciates reviews on Yelp. Sharing her story with others helps increase her potential customer base. When covid is over, she looks forward to making party favors again for weddings and baby showers. Be sure to check out her “ButtNaked” candle. Or “Black Bamboo”… so many great scents to try.
Our Promise To You
Here at Jojo’s Candle Co, we use top quality fragrance oils and 100% soy wax and distribute the fragrance throughout the candle making process. This allows for a long lasting fragrance for the entire burn of the candle.
Our candles and wax melts not only smell amazing, they also burn clean; leaving virtually no waste! All of our candles and wax melts are hand-poured when you order them. These are not your typical store bought candles that lose their fragrance after just one burn. Our fragrances are known to last to the very end to give you that quality candle you deserve.
Candles and wax melts have a way to make any place feel like home and are the perfect gift for any occasion.
We Strive on Exceptional Customer Service
By providing top quality products, loyalty to our customers, and pride in workmanship.
This is our promise that Jojo’s Candle Co. is a company you can count on.