The Haute Wick Social, Huntington’s only candle-making bar, allows guests to create custom candles with seasonal scents such as pumpkin roll, holly jolly Huntington, strawberry cheesecake or coconut soleil–some of which just might be founder Ashley Casto’s favorites.
Beyond a love for yummy scents, Casto said Haute Wick began as a creative escape from a high-pressure career.
“I used to work in higher education and when I just had to do something to de-stress, I enjoyed making candles in my kitchen,” Casto said. “I was really inspired by the business community here which also inspired me to open up the shop.”
Likewise, creating accessible candles that are cruelty free, phthalate free and offer clean burning was central to Casto’s vision.
“I did a ton of research and there are crazy bad additives to candles and phthalates that have been linked to hormone disruption and have been known to cause issues with your endocrine and reproductive systems,” she said. “So, I just wanted to make something better and healthier for the Tri-State area and beyond.”
When a customer takes a visit to peruse the shop, Casto said they can expect a full gift store with a variety of items beyond just candles, including perfumes, body soaps, tart melts, home decor, headbands and a jewelry bar.
Candle-making workshops may be booked ahead of time on The Haute Wick Social website, offering a step-by-step experience for guests, she added.
“We blend the scent, name the scent and show them how to pour it,” Casto said. “They can make candles, they can make tart melts or if they want something flameless, they can add on diffusers, body butters or body sprays, so the sky is the limit.”
With nearly seven years of operation, Casto said she tends to look forward to Small Business Saturday, which also happens to be when the candle shop first opened.
“It’s so emotional because people are lining up to come in,” Casto said. “The idea of people wanting to be here and wanting to spend their money with me is everything.”
Fueled by a love for her customers, Casto said she strives to make sure everything–from big moments to tiny details–is just right.
“We have to wick the candles, make sure all the warning and front labels are on, ensure that the temperature is right, that you’re pouring the right amount,” Casto said. “There’s a lot of science involved.”
In the past, Casto said she has enjoyed collaborating with local nonprofits and businesses for both fun opportunities and a chance to give back.
“We have a candle with Austin’s–the waffle cone–which was wildly popular and something fun for summer, because who doesn’t want ice cream in a candle?” Casto said.
In addition to Austin’s Homemade Ice Cream, a few of Haute Wick’s nonprofit partnerships include the Huntington Cabell Wayne Animal Control Shelter, Little Victories Animal Rescue, Dress for Success River Cities and Appalachian Feline Foster Network.
“The shelters have their own candles and room sprays, and then we give a portion of the proceeds back to them,” Casto said. “We take dogs out for the day, bring them here and make reels or stories with them and try to get them adopted.”
Aside from supporting the Huntington community, she said adding staff to the team has been both a milestone and a meaningful reward.
“I really got to work with them, and I love watching their development, their confidence build and to be able to see what they’re going to do after they graduate college or their next steps after
high school.”
As she looks to the future, Casto said she hopes what began as a personal outlet will continue to grow into a glowing example of creativity and community care,
one hand-poured candle at a time.
Kaitlyn Fleming can becontacted at [email protected].
