Sassy smells so good! Meet the owner of a Traverse City candle shop who’s captured the attention of national news sources with cheeky candle scents, candle-making classes and subscription boxes.
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Photo by Dave Weidner
Ida-Sofia Koivuniemi, founder of Evil Queen, fills her Traverse City candle shop with cheeky scents like “Old Soul” (ebony wood, vanilla amber, love letters), “Stolen Hoodie” (cedar, leather, cozy vibes) and “Mom Brain” (fresh tulips, cherry blossoms, one minute alone, please). Her business has caught the attention of national media groups, including Forbes and Buzzfeed, and the Evil Queen brand has amassed more than 100,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok who weigh in on new products they’d like to see and get behind-the-scenes sneak peeks.
A visit to her retail store inside TC’s Warehouse MRKT is a sensory treat—rosy, blush-pink walls lined with her signature and seasonal aromas and a workspace in the back where Koivuniemi offers candle-making classes. And for out-of-towners, there’s a subscription box with never-before-released scents.
Photo by Dave Weidner
Photo by Dave Weidner
Photo by Dave Weidner
Read & Watch Next: 9&10 News | Light the Room with Evil Queen
Our 3 Favorite Candles to Gift Your Friends
Candles make the best gifts! Here are three of our favorite Evil Queen candles to gift:
SNOW DAY For the person who has been waxing their skis since July
WINTER WITCH For the person who uses hand-foraged pine cones and organic carrots on their snowman
HOMEBODY For the hygge hibernator
Photo by Dave Weidner
VISIT | Evil Queen
Inside Warehouse MRKT
144 Hall St. #103, Traverse City
Shop Evil Queen online
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