Meet Katy Zales | Founder & Candle creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Katy Zales and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Katy, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The only reason Shoppe 815 currently exists is due to my relentless resilience. Creating a business is not a yellow brick road. You lay each brick yourself and try to pave a path that best suits your company. My resilience helps me pivot when I head the wrong direction and make adjustments allowing me to never let my flame burn out.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Shoppe 815 began in 2013 as an apparel and home goods brand. My background is in apparel design but I had an idea for a candle collection. At that time I didn’t believe anyone would buy candles online that they were unable to smell, so I used my knowledge of apparel to build a store for “risk takers”. As the brand grew so did the demand for my hand-poured candles. I decided to pivot to become a candle brand allowing me to focus my energy on the products I create. Six months after this pivot I endured a traumatic brain injury from a motorcycle accident. Shoppe 815 took a backseat during my healing phase. Nearly two years later I was able to re-open www.shoppe815.com. During those two years, technology and the candle market progressed forward leaving me behind. I had to relearn how to use social media and my website while also trying to reconnect with past customers. The last several years have been challenging but my resilience has been a valuable asset. It allowed me to be patient while adjusting to this new beginning. I chose to rebuild Shoppe 815 as if it were day one. Kat helped bring my vision to life in 2021 by creating a new website and a fresh start for Shoppe 815.
My flame dimmed on the day of my accident. I’ve continuously had to remind myself to stay lit and to never let my flame burn out. It’s now become my mission to help others enhance their physical and mental environments igniting them to live their best and brightest life. Shoppe 815 is my attempt to make that happen.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would start their trip off by taking them on a hike at Stough Canyon provides a great view of Burbank as well as downtown LA. The perfect thing to pair with a good conversation is a great coffee. I would spend the week sharing my favorite coffee spots and a change of scenery around the city. One day we would head west because you can’t come to LA without touching the sand and walking down the Santa Monica Pier. I would follow this up by not only taking them to have a cup of coffee but to enjoy the best paleo baked goods from Sweet Laurel Bakery at the Palisades Village. My favorite part about this trip is the drive home through the canyons to get back to the valley.
The next day we would grab a “perfect latte” from La La Land Kind Cafe in Santa Monica as well as a gluten-free pastry from Break Blok across the street. Once we were fueled up I’d ask if they would like to visit the Petersen Automotive Museum, which I’m a big fan of or the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. I haven’t been there yet but I’m dying to go.
After running around the city we’ll need a recovery day. I would take them to my favorite local breakfast spot, Basecamp Dinette, followed by a walk around the Hollywood Reservoir. What’s a better way to end the day than with a scoop of ice cream from Magpies soft serve?
At the end of their trip, I would take them to Bloom and Plume Coffee for a chagaccino. We’d follow that up with a trip to explore downtown LA and a stop by the Last Book Store. They’ll need a good read for their trip home.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Although I’m a solopreneur there is no solo in Shoppe 815. The foundation of this brand was built by many helping hands. Over the years my Mom has provided countless hours of advice, editing, packing, you name it! My Dad dedicated months to engineer and build the machine that manufactures Shoppe 815’s one-of-a-kind tin candle containers. My Sister-in-law Tracy, and associate Chanel, helped with the day-to-day tasks that helped build the brand in its beginning phases. An extraordinary multi-talented creative Kat Kingston devoted months to creating Shoppe 815’s brand guide, as well as, designing and developing www.shoppe815.com. She most recently assisted with her latest talent of photography. Then there is Ben. He’s not only my husband but he’s my IT department, photographer, and advisor. Last but not least, the heart of this brand are the customers who brighten up the world with our candles! I have an endless amount of gratitude for every person that has been a part of the Shoppe 815 journey.

Website: www.shoppe815.com

Instagram: shoppe815

Youtube: www.youtube.com/shoppe815

Other: www.pinterest.com/shoppe815

Image Credits
Ben Zales, Kat Kingston, John Kingston