Popular scented wax business opens second premises in Northampton after business boomed during lockdown

A popular local business that produced hand-poured, scented wax for burners has expanded and opened in a second location.

Wax and Melt had to move sales online back in March when its Wollaston shop, which opened in 2018, had to shut due to the pandemic.

While trading online for months, the company, which has a huge following on social media, saw sales soar so much that the company has expanded from just the one shop before lockdown, to two shops and a workshop now.

Owner Susan Day said: “It was busy anyway but when lockdown hit and we went online business just boomed.

“We made a production site out of the old shop in Wollaston as we were not going to reopen that as a shop, so it’s now a workshop.

“Then we started to look for another premises.

“We found the Upton shop. I just loved the location so much and the shop was great, but it was a bit of a risk, especially at the moment.”

The shop at St Crispin Local Centre in Kent Road, Upton opened on October 9 and Susan, who started the business from her kitchen back in 2016, says it has been going ‘really well so far’.

The 48-year-old, who was still working as a childminder when she started the business, added: “It has been awesome. We really have picked up a new customer base in the area.

“We had a large customer base in Northampton anyway, but now we’re in Upton we are seeing more new people come through the door.

“People who came in when the shop first opened liked the product and came back. They’re also recommending us or people are smelling the product in their house and asking about it.”

Business also continues to thrive online and at the other new shop, which has opened next door to the now workshop in The Courtyard of High Street, Wollaston.

In a year when many small businesses have struggled, Susan believes the quality of her product and the company’s local presence have been the keys to success.

“With a lot of people working from home, people were keen to order on the internet,” she continued.

“For a lot of customers, they said this was one thing that kept life a bit more normal for them.

“They could put on their burners and make their house smell nice. It was a treat but not an expensive one.

“I think the shop locations have dramatically helped with business growing as well.

“Customers can smell the product before they buy it and people like to buy from people.

“It’s also about the reputation you build up and the rapport you have with customers.”

If the Upton shop continues to succeed, Susan is hoping to open a third premises in Milton Keynes where the Wax and Melt already has an established customer base.

Search Wax and Melt on Facebook to find out more.

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