Hello, Dash here. I’m the Shipping and Wholesale coordinator here at Cantrip Candles. Aside from obsessing over D&D and playing slightly too much Baldur’s Gate 3, my other passion is linking FLGS (Friendly Local Game Stores) with our robust wholesale program.
Recently, I got a chance to check-in with one of the stores in question. Geeky Teas & Games in Burbank, CA has long offered our entire catalog of signature scents for table-top immersion and general household use. Donna Ricci, the head Geek in charge, recounted how our founder Christoff came in off the street a few years ago.
“He told me about his products and I said I thought it was a great idea!” Donna explained not far from the sizable candle wall. We snuck off to one of their private rooms to chat, but we could still hear the flurry outside of a busy Saturday afternoon. “We were a much smaller store back then so it was a much smaller order, but we were the first people to say yes. He was surprised.”
The current candle wall at Geeky Teas & Games
Cut to today, when I am still surprised by our day-to-day wholesale orders that have extended well beyond Burbank. Cantrip Candles has nearly 70 retail partners from California to Texas to New York. We even work with international retailers like Meeples & Dragons in Queensland Australia and Strange & Unusual Trading Co. for our EU customers.
Game stores of all sizes have made the jump to candles just like Donna did. This is a real thrill for us since D&D is still strongly tied to brick-and-mortar community hubs just like Geeky Teas and this quirky store is a perfect example of how far the TTRPG community has come in terms of acceptance. Both Donna and I have crossed paths with our fair share of gate-keepers and toxic individuals. Thankfully, everything about Geeky Teas & Games screams, “Join us!”
“Take a chance on our community,” said Donna when asked if Geeky Teas could impart anything to potential visitors. “They’re friendly, welcoming people and we have curated that pretty well […] Sit down with us and play games!”
She also shared with me how her initial rebelliousness in terms of D&D led to her establishing a successful game store. Like many parent figures at the time, her mother wasn’t supportive of the fringe hobby for Donna or her late brother who she adored.
“[D&D] was a very taboo thing as a child for me,” she recounted. “I was forbidden from playing because it was satanic and my brother hid his D&D books in his room and I wasn’t allowed to look at them… but I did.”
Perhaps the real rebel of Geeky Teas is Mr. President, resident cat and vigilant store mascot. Luckily, I was able to say hello before I left that day. If you stop by, the staff may be willing to have Mr. President ring the presidential bell for treats– although it’s a chore to get him to stop.
Mr. President is not without company. The game and tea store is also the headquarters of Donna’s non-profit cat rescue “GeeKitties.” She was modest about her work on this front and preferred to leave folks with a simple message:
“People in cat rescue don’t wanna be in cat rescue,” Donna said with the weariness I’ve seen from people who work and volunteer in animal adoption. “Please spay and neuter your pets… I sound like Bob Barker.”
Mr. President says hi! #AdoptDontShop
Cantrip Candles is very proud to feature our wares at a store like Geeky Teas & Games. I was also tickled to see our popular Roll with Pride pin sharing space with a Mr. President sticker on an adorable accessories wall. Talk about prime real estate!
Our range of products can make a tantalizing display for game and hobby stores. Try some 6 oz. candle tins or our Spellbook Matchboxes near your store’s register and watch your customers be captivated.
“They sell themselves,” Donna shrugged when asked about the candles’ high sell-thru rates. “Because we’ve carried them almost as long as they’ve been around, people know it’s a staple here of our offerings.”
To learn more and browse our latest wholesale catalog. Visit our Faire store or email me directly at retail@CantripCandles.com