Clement Street Candles in San Francisco masters the art of candle making

SAN FRANCISCO -- Want your home to smell like fresh cut wood? What about a luxury hotel? Whatever your vibe, Clement Street Candles can provide.

"Candle scent brings (people) to an emotional space...to a happier place," said Shawn Kresal, the founder of Clement Street Candles. "If they smell fresh cut grass, it smells like springtime, it smells like the year is starting fresh, there's a lot of promise. Or, if they smell our "Treat Yourself" it smells like luxury hotels, so they feel a little bit like they're being spoiled."

Fresh Cut Wood, Old Bookstore, and Juicy Grapefruit scented candles are the shop's best-sellers.

"I'm gonna say our "Treat Yourself Candle" is probably my favorite one. It kind of has a spa feel to it," described Diane Kresal of Clement Street Candles. "It can be really relaxing and maybe (make you) reminisce about a nice feeling you might have had."

The business started right before the pandemic when Shawn started making candles in his home kitchen. Candle making turned from his hobby to a second job.

"Came to find out it was pretty easy to make a good candle, it was hard to make a great candle," said Shawn. "And so, just kept trying kind of mad scientist style experimenting...to come up with what we've got today."

Clement Street Candles can be purchased on Etsy. Be sure to follow @clementstcandles on Instagram for the latest updates.