Laguna Candles Celebrates 20 Years As Global Luxury Supplier

Founder Sharie Hendricks, her husband Clarence, their daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter. Laguna Candles.
Founder Sharie Hendricks, her husband Clarence, their daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter. Laguna Candles.

 

Laguna Candles Celebrates 20 Years As Global Luxury Supplier  

Leading Black and Woman Owned Candle Company Thrives Following Trademark Attack; Retail Supporters Include Amazon 

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif., PRNewswire -- Twenty years ago, Laguna Candles opened for business, fueled by a love for the calming effects of beautiful home fragrance and a desire to be on the cutting edge of a growing consumer appetite for cleaner burning candles. Founded by Sharie Hendricks, the company had humble beginnings in her family's kitchen and garage, a hub for experimenting with various fragrances, wax blends, packaging and more. Before long, Laguna Candles emerged as a premiere Black and woman-owned business, now enjoyed globally at the finest luxury hotels, spas and specialty stores with thousands of hand-poured, bespoke candles sold around the country and beyond. 

The company has weathered storms, including intentional efforts from a sizeable retail company to diminish Laguna Candles' trademark rights. Laguna Candles was victorious in United States trademark court and has been supported by retailers including Amazon to only sell the original Laguna Candles line. Founder Sharie Hendricks calls the experience harrowing and is now focused on the future of the company and sharing their journey with other entrepreneurs. 

"We are proud to celebrate the 20-year mark as a family-run Black and woman-owned business," Hendricks says. "We fought hard to protect what we've built. Even when it was tough and our trademark case went on for years, we did not stop. With much prayer and perseverance, we prevailed. We hope to inspire other business owners that when faced with Goliath-like obstacles, be prepared and determined not to let it break you." 

Throughout the past two decades, Laguna Candles has made its mark with accessible and sustainable luxury, personalized customer service and bespoke, quality candles across North America, Europe, Asia and other markets. 

The company is well positioned for the next chapter of success with three generations of the family working in the business, which includes the company's founder Sharie, her husband Clarence who acts as both Sales Director and Lead Artisan, their three daughters, granddaughter, son-in-law and additional staff. 

This year Laguna Candles will celebrate its 20th anniversary with several special events and surprises for their loyal customer base. 

Started and run by a Black family of entrepreneurs – Laguna Candles is the culmination of five generations of African American entrepreneurs. As the granddaughter of two entrepreneurs, founder Sharie Hendricks always desired to run her business - and give her three daughters the option of entrepreneurship. "From the first day we opened Laguna Candles for business we have remained committed to our vision of luxury products with sustainable ingredients," Hendricks shares. She started the company with a love of candles, no experience making them and support from her husband Clarence. The family learned along the way - turning their kitchen into a candle factory before growth led them to their bustling headquarters. They have produced thousands of candles, and continue to grow. 

Sought after and featured by ELLE Decor, Allure, Ellen DeGeneres and more– Laguna Candles has proven itself as an industry favorite in home and luxury having been featured by many media outlets including ELLE Decor, New York Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, Allure and more. With its private label candle services, the company works closely with entrepreneurs at every stage from new founders to household names to provide candles, including creating 16,000 candles for Ellen DeGeneres' Be Kind candle collection. 

Survived a Trademark Attack with Trial Victory– The Hendricks Family faced every entrepreneur's worst nightmare: a large company trying to attack your brand. After three years of litigation, the United States Patent and Trademark Office upheld the Hendricks family company's trademark rights, and its registration is now incontestable. 

Founded in 2003 by Sharie Hendricks, Laguna Candles creates luxuriously scented, hand-poured candles that can be enjoyed globally at the finest luxury hotels, spas and specialty stores. A Black and woman-owned, family run business, Laguna Candles is the culmination of five generations of entrepreneurs. As a certified Green Business, the company prides itself on its commitment to a sustainable environment and has provided private label candle collections, hotels and businesses. All products are made with a proprietary blend of natural waxes and essential oils of the highest quality. 

Learn more and view the entire Laguna Candles collection at www.lagunacandles.com. 

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