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It is no secret to anyone in their 20’s and 30’s that when you are looking for a good outing to mingle with friends and/or co-workers, a bar is the top place to be. There is nothing better than the tastes, sights and sounds of barhopping with friends. But what if you were able to give a night, all to your smells? Introducing Candle Bar DSM, located on 130 5th St. in West Des Moines in Valley Junction. Home of the one and only candle bar in the state of Iowa, as their website says, “…bringing custom scent dreams to your car and beyond!”  

Chloe Bratvold does it all. She is a wife, a business owner, and more importantly, she is obsessed with candles. Despite growing up in a family that has past business ownership experience, Bratvold said, “this was not the plan, at all.” She attended Kirkwood Community College for her culinary education and then moved to Kansas City to do some private chef work. It did not take long for her to realize it was not the field she wanted to be in. After some time in Kansas City, she moved back to Iowa in the heart of the metro. It was then she realized her love for candles. She wanted to bring a cleaner product to the candle-verse.  

 

“That really is one of the biggest reasons I’m doing what I’m doing now,” Bratvold said.  

Candle Bar DSM opened in November of 2020, right in the middle of the global pandemic.   

“It was definitely scary, but it was one of those things where I wanted to open in March, but that’s when everything went bad so I kept pushing it back further and further ‘til I could not wait any longer,” Bratvold said.   

She talked about some of the challenges of working through the COVID-19 guidelines in a business that is so hands on but felt that they have handled it well.   

“We sanitize everything constantly. I think one of my bigger expenses is disinfecting wipes,” Bratvold said.  

 Candle Bar DSM uses 100% U.S. grown soy in their scents. Soy gives off a cleaner, more natural smell compared to normal candle scents which usually just use crude oil. In some ways, the scents you would be smelling could be compared to secondhand smoke, despite it “smelling” elegant. Bratvold talked about how growing up in such an agriculture oriented community like Eagle Grove, she really wanted to use Iowan-grown products to support the Iowan farmer.   

“In a way, I almost wouldn’t be here without Iowa farmers, and I’m really grateful for what they do,” Bratvold said.  

So how did the idea of candles and bars mix in Bratvold’s mind? Well, it is quite simple.  

“I think the biggest thing is, we as women are always looking to do something different socially and be able to have something that can be usable,” Bratvold said.     

The process of making candles while at the bar is also remarkably simple. When you walk in the door, you choose a jar based on the size and price-point of your candle. The jars come in assorted colors, glasses, and ceramics.  

“The prices range from $27 to $40, and those are all inclusive prices. If you pick the $27 jar, that’s how much it costs to make it,” Bratvold said.   

After picking a jar, you go through the bar’s 85+ fragrances and pick the top four that you like the most. Be mindful that with the change of every season, they add 10 new scents.   

“We hope to have 150 scents, but obviously things get discontinued, so we won’t always have the same, but we like to add on,” Bratvold said.  

Once you have your top four scents, one of the candle baristas will  help you narrow it down to two or three.   

“You don’t have to mix fragrances, but that’s the fun part,” Bratvold said.  

They then help you mix the scents together and take you through the journey of making your own candle. The complete process of putting them together takes about half an hour. Once you are finished, the wax cools down for an hour and a half. Depending on the size of jar you chose, this process could be longer or shorter.   

“Some people pick them up the same day they make them, or you can pick them up whenever it works best for you,” Bratvold said.   

The whole “bar” aspect of Candle Bar DSM goes almost unnoticed in the candle-making process. The workshop area, where you put the candles together, is made to resemble a bar-like counter with barstools. While they do not serve alcohol, you are more than welcome to bring in your own beverages to drink while making your candles.  

Despite being the owner, Bratvold is the main worker of her business. During weekdays, it is just her behind the counter. On weekends, when the store has its busiest hours, a couple of her currently five part-time workers come to help her out.   

“I’m currently looking to expand and hire a full-time manager, along with more part-time workers. It’s a great job for college students who could work weeknights, but most weekends, and you make great tips considering you’re working in a bar,” Bratvold said.   

Bratvold holds a positive attitude regarding the future of Candle Bar DSM.   

“A business-like tone we have is a wholesale,” said Bratvold.  

 This means that other businesses can come and make a candle and put their logo on it. Candle Bar DSM would then make a certain quantity of that candle so the other business could sell it to their customers. This gives Bratvold peace of mind that they do not need to always be worried about the number of people walking in because they have such a solid backside to the bar. Her next step is to expand the business by creating another location, while still holding strong with the metro.   

“Des Moines is a weekend destination, and we want to be a part of that for years and years to come,”