Loide & Co. candle shop opens first brick-and-mortar in Tanger Outlets
Loide DiPippa opened her candle shop, Loide & Co., at Tanger Outlet in Riverhead in October. Credit: Loide Candle Co.
For small-business owner Loide DiPippa, 32, candles aren’t just jars filled with wax and wicks — they’re powerful sources of light and tranquility.
"They offer comfort," she says. "I like to share that."
At her 2-month-old Loide & Co. in Tanger Outlets in Riverhead, DiPippa, a former ultrasound technician, specializes in handcrafted, non-toxic soy-wax candles.
DiPippa hand-pours her eco-friendly candles without added colors and chemicals. The neutral look of her products is designed to complement any interior. Candles are priced $20-$23 and come in an array of nose-tickling scents. Customers already are carrying a bright torch for the lavender, limoncello and coffee options.
"Every candle tells a story," says DiPippa, who began selling her candles in 2022 to her inner circle and at Long Island farmers markets, pop-ups, and online before launching her brick-and-mortar shop at the shopping center.
Her playful "Elevator Guy" scented candle features a stirring blend of black coral, moss, saffron and cedarwood — and an air of mystery. It aims to evoke that "What’s he wearing?" sensation you may have experienced before when you’ve ridden in an elevator, she says.
As DiPippa’s product line has expanded, she changed her original business name — Loide Candle Co. — to Loide & Co. to reflect that she offers other merchandise. She also sells linen and room sprays ($15) scented with citrus, bergamot, and eucalyptus that freshen your wardrobe, house and car.
Her store also features a refillable liquid soap and detergent draft bar (around $1 an ounce). "You can come and customize the soap scent or you can go with no fragrance," she says.
DiPippa teaches candle-making classes and hosts other events at the store. She posts a schedule on Instagram — on deck for January: resin boards, a tax-prep primer, sound healing and crafts.
She’s also made room in the 2,500-square-foot space to showcase crafts and services by other companies, including home goods, permanent jewelry and yoga classes.
"For me," she says, "my business is more like a community."
Loide & Co., Tanger Outlets, 1770 W. Main St., Riverhead; 631-552-9969
