In a city known for wine tasting rooms, ocean views and creative spaces, Candle Bar 111 has carved out its own place in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone by giving people the chance to slow down and create something personal.
Inside the studio at 111 E. Yanonali St., guests blend fragrances, pour candles by hand and spend time experimenting with scents that often end up surprising them.
For owner Lindsay Gould, the experience is about far more than candle making. It’s about creativity, connection and giving people permission to enjoy the process without overthinking it.
Gould did not originally plan on opening a candle making studio. The business grew organically from years of creating things for family and friends, and following her curiosity into different creative outlets.
Before opening Candle Bar 111 at the end of 2024, she launched Golden Arrow Goods in 2020 after what she laughingly describes as turning “an expensive hobby into a business.”
“I’ve always been making things,” Gould said. “Gifts for friends, creative projects for no reason, whatever I was into at the time.”
Her background includes studying culinary arts along with experience in event planning and marketing, careers that all shared a common thread.
Looking back, Gould realized she was always drawn to creating memorable experiences for people.
As Golden Arrow Goods expanded, she started teaching in-home candle making workshops throughout Santa Barbara.
She would load supplies into her car and bring the entire setup directly to homes, offices and gatherings.
Those workshops quickly revealed something important to her: People were not just interested in buying candles.
“People loved being part of it,” she explained. “Smelling everything, mixing their own blends, asking questions.”
That response ultimately inspired the idea for a permanent studio space. Opening Candle Bar 111 in the Funk Zone felt like a natural fit because of the neighborhood’s creative energy and focus on experiences rather than traditional retail.
“The Funk Zone made sense because it’s built around doing things, not just looking at them,” Gould said. “It’s creative and social and experiential, which is exactly what I wanted to build.”
Inside the studio, guests are encouraged to explore fragrance combinations freely without worrying about whether they are doing it “right.”
Gould believes scent is deeply personal, and no two people experience fragrance in exactly the same way.
“Two people can smell the same fragrance and have completely different reactions,” she said.
That philosophy shapes the entire candle-making experience. Instead of steering people toward certain popular scents, Gould encourages them to trust their instincts and experiment.
She also emphasizes the quality of the materials being used, including clean burning wax and nontoxic fragrance oils, something she cares deeply about, both personally and professionally.
“I love watching someone land on a blend they never would have expected and then get excited about it,” she said.
At the beginning of each workshop, Gould makes a point to remove some of the pressure people might feel when trying something creative in a group setting.
She reminds guests that everyone smells things differently and that the process is supposed to be enjoyable rather than intimidating.
“Learning something new in a group can feel intimidating, so I try to take that pressure off right away,” she noted.
Once people relax, the mood in the studio shifts quickly. Guests laugh, compare scent combinations and settle into the experience.
Gould admits she makes plenty of “dumb jokes” throughout the workshops, but that lighthearted energy is part of what keeps the environment welcoming rather than overly serious.
Her mother often jokes that customers come to Candle Bar 111 as much for Gould herself as they do for the candle making.
After spending time in the space, it’s easy to see why. Her personality and warmth are woven into every aspect of the business.
Candle Bar 111 has also become part of the larger Santa Barbara experience for both locals and visitors. Gould sees the studio as another way people connect with the city, much like wine tasting, dining or spending a day by the water.
“Santa Barbara is about experience,” she said. “Wine tasting, food, ocean air, architecture. We just happen to do it through fragrance.”
Visitors enjoy creating custom candles that become tied to memories from their trip, while locals often visit for birthdays, date nights, team outings, or simply as a creative break from everyday life.
“We offer a pause,” Gould said. “A chance to slow down and make something with your hands.”
