Wicks and Spritz to open new store in Baildon this weekend

Wicks and Spritz, which sells handmade, natural and chemical-free candles and home scents, opened inside Numi Aesthetics on Westgate as a small pop-up shop earlier this year.

But as the business has "taken off" owner Richard Bates has been able to secure his own premises to sell his much-loved products.

Richard, 35, said: “It’s just been amazing. We’ve become really popular and the business has really just taken off. At the moment we can only get about three people in at any one time so we want to change that.

“We got the opportunity to renovate an old run-down garage so we’re in the process of doing that.

“The store will be a feature for Baildon, it’s going to bring people here it’s in the centre of the village so we're going to be seen and it is just amazing.”

The store specialises in a range of vegan, environmentally friendly and chemical-free home fragrance products, including wax melts, candles and carpet fresheners. 

Natural products at Baildon-based Wicks & Spritz

Fragrance enthusiast Richard first started making the products for himself after he was diagnosed with some health issues which meant he had to find a chemical-free alternative to his favourite scents.

He said: “I absolutely love home-fragrance, the way it can change mood and atmosphere, and I prefer it on an evening. I can manipulate fragrance into what I want.

“But the product was formed out of necessity and my ill health. After I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease and cancerous cells were found I needed to find a way of having a new chemical-free lifestyle and way of living and I couldn’t do my full-time job in sales like I used to."

He only started selling them around a year ago - as he gave them out to family and friends as gifts it ‘got out into Baildon’ and he realised the demand was there.

“After watching hours on Youtube of people candle-making, I had to find a way of making a wax that didn’t contain chemicals and was natural too and I needed to find an affordable medium which I knew wouldn’t be easy,” he said

He now offers a range of scents including Fizzy Lemon, French Pear and Coffee Queen.

The set-up of the new store, located on Northgate, Baildon means customers will be able to come in and watch him at work.

The store will be open on Saturday, September 3 from 9.30am.