Candlemaker Opens Studio for DIY Experiences

Opening the studio coincides with Get Scent’s 4th anniversary celebration. Mainot found himself with spare time during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, so he taught himself to blend fragrances and make candles.

When interviewed for This Alaska Business three years ago, Mainot was still working in his mother’s house in the Spenard neighborhood, but he was breaking even financially. Most of his sales are online, and some products are stocked at retailers such as Buzzwinkle’s Bazaar and Tier 1 Cards and Games. And Mainot is always busy at markets and festivals.

Opening a storefront is “moving up in the world,” he says, with the bonus of giving his regular customers a place to shop without waiting for a market event.

Although he is opening in time for the start of holiday shopping, the studio won’t be where Mainot sells candles on the weekend after Thanksgiving. He’s committed to the craft market at the Anchorage Museum, one of his favorite vendor fairs. As soon as that’s done, he’ll hold a grand opening at the studio.

The deal came together in less than a month. In October, he was discussing his options with a commercial real estate agent who regularly buys batches of candles as gifts for clients. They figured that Mainot could afford the investment. It was then a question of where.

The strip mall at Arctic and International is close to home, and it’s surprisingly bustling. Mainot says, “Every time I come here, the parking lot is always busy. There’s a lot of food places here, and people always go for food. The foot traffic is good.”

Where Minds Come Together

Mainot emphasizes that the shop is not just an outlet for Get Scent products. “I call it the studio because that’s where crafters, artists—brilliant, genius, insane minds come together to build something,” he says.

The studio has space for a candle bar, where Mainot will show customers how to pour their own candles and mix their own scents. There’s also a table where customers can paint their own jars. Mainot says, “I want it to be a space where everyone is welcome.”

Moving out of his mother’s living room allows space for other crafters to teach classes: jewelry, beading, gardening, whatever. Mainot is offering the first session for free before charging guest artists a fee. He also picked out a spot for a piano to provide live music. Mainot envisions “a place where all my musician friends can hang out with me and play some music—and also make money.”

Mainot is setting aside shelf space for consignments from local vendors. On opening day, Sarah O’Brien of Arctic Blossom Crochet arrived with a batch of delicate baskets perfectly sized for Get Scent candle jars.

For now, Mainot is a one-man show, making and selling all his wares with occasional help from family and friends. His main occupation is still in the IT field, and he takes time to sing with Anchorage Opera and Midnight Sons Chorus.

“Trust your dreams. Trust yourself. You can do it. That’s how you persevere,” Mainot says. “I had fun making this business from the beginning until now. Making it brick-and-mortar is a dream come true.”