Kandace Lichtblau
Lake City, MN (USA)
Role(s):
Founder/Owner/Principal
Vintage Cottage Boutique
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Startup
Location:
Lake City
Industry:
Manufacturing
Year Founded:
2005
Number Employees:
1-10 people
Description:
Hello,
My name is Kandace and I'm the sole proprietor of a little shop called Vintage Cottage Boutique.. I sell vintage nostalgic items and also manufacture for my own shop, for wholesale and for other businesses High end Lotions, handmade lye soaps and sundries and soy candles.
I received a degree in Biology/Chemistry in 2003 and ended up having an unfortunate leg accident that involved rods and pins and thus ended my field science career.. I sold lye soaps to fund my tuition through college and after that had several stores ask me to make those things for them. I developed my own lotion and soy formulations thru my chemistry background.. looking at the properties of the components and how its readily available on the skin, etc.. and have developed quite a following in this area.
Currently I run a retail shop that sells nostalgic and vintage items, and 'lost art' items such as handloomed rugs, my lye soaps, vintage handcast (URL removed).. I also private label items for other stores, bed and breakfasts, wine diners, and companies and sell my products with their names on the label. Most recently I was hired- and beat out a national competitor- to pour Wild Wings, a national wildlife art companies.. soy candles featuring their artists prints on the labels. I have been offered by them to product my lotions, soaps and candles on a large scale for their wholesale cataloug, however, being still a small business I simply do not have the funds to give them competitive priceing by ordering my supplies by the pallet.
I am looking or funding to grow my wholesale business and also to develop a direct marketing cataloug and rebuild my website. My products have been in the white house and Martha Stewart owns one of my Belsnickles.