An Interview with Kristin Bivens of Wicked Pop Candle Co.
1. Wicked Pop is best known for funny, irreverent, pop-culture labels. What was your first label? What's your current favorite?
When I first started, I had just a few in my collection. I can’t remember what one I did first, but they didn’t look anything like the ones I have now. They were in tiny tin jars with simple stickers. They’ve grown up since then. I would say my current favorite label is “I’d Love To, But My Dog and I Have Plans” because it has an actual image of my dog Alice and it smells phenomenal.
2. During the pandemic, you shifted to Virtual Markets on Facebook with great success! You made them really fun with exclusive products, limited stock, special pricing, and contests. Will you continue those or go back to in-person shows?
I’m slowly starting to transition back to in-person shows, but will continue to do some Virtual Markets. It allows me to reach customers that don’t live close enough for local shows and reaches more of an audience than I can sometimes reach in-person. I probably won’t do them as often as I did during the past year, but will definitely keep up a hybrid model of virtual and in-person. I actually really enjoy them and have a lot of fun interacting with people online. I’m lucky to have some really loyal folks on my team.
3. What are your favorite places to eat and shop in Niles?
My favorite place to eat in Niles is El Amigo Pepe. That’s pretty much a weekly staple in my household. They have the absolute best flautas. As far as shopping goes, one day I hope my favorite place to shop is my very own store!
4. We dog-lovers want to know more about Alice, your goldendoodle!
Oh, Alice! Alice isn’t exactly a rescue dog, but we got her from a family that just didn’t quite have enough time for her and her energy, so a week after buying our first home, she became ours! She’s eight years old now, but still acts like a big ol’ puppy. She barks at everything and anything and if someone comes up to our house – whether they are delivering the mail, picking up candles or it’s my mom - she has to grab a toy and hold it in her mouth as she barks ferociously at them. Apparently, she thinks she looks tough with a huge stuffed Snoopy hanging out of her mouth. She’s the absolute sweetest, but she also has an intense amount of sass. She’s an expert of the side-eye and if she’s focused on something, like a squirrel, you do not exist. She’s definitely a dog with a lot of spunk, which is why she fits perfectly into our family.
