A Transmission of Passion
Words: Tous Mag | Image Credits: © Garden State Candles/Schmilblick |
Inspired by her travels, Maya - founder of Garden State Candles - creates a selection of lovingly hand-made candles with beguiling scents of sparkling jasmine, warm amber, subtle green fig and calming sage. Born in Washington D.C. and raised by a French mother and a Moroccan father, before moving to Montreal for her studies and work, Maya left the concrete jungle behind to explore the fauna and flora of Australia and New Zealand. Hoping that her memories and experiences seep into the mixing bowl when concocting her creations, Maya’s reminded of the people and places she’s admired over the years whilst experimenting. At the crux of Garden State Candles is sustainability, not only as the candles are made from 100% soy wax, and this mindset feeds through to Maya’s Concept Store housed in Friedrichshain, Berlin.
After Maya - and rescue pup Louee, the face of the brand - founded Garden State Candles, back in 2017, they were presented with the opportunity to open their first brick & mortar shop in Neukölln (South of Berlin) in 2018. Fast forward to 2020 and the birth of Schmilblick - a French café ran by business partners Ludo and Joh, and a concept store ran by Maya - kept the ambitious team busy and bursting with creative energy, as new residents in a neighbourhood they’d always held in high regard. Showcasing the works of local and international makers, Schmilblick is a hive of creativity as well as an opportunity for the conscious minded to shop independent. Not only do the ambitious duo help by contributing to the local talent’s visibility in front of the Berlin public, Schmilblick offers a range of workshops throughout the year as a tool to share knowledge and form a dedicated relationship with their community.
Read the full interview with founder of Garden State Candles, Maya Sriqui, below!
Tous Mag: Could you tell us a little about Garden State Candles?
Maya Sriqui: I founded GSC in 2017, way back when I was developing and making the candles out of my sunny Berlin apartment. The living room housed all of the inventory and the packing & shipping station was infringing on the kitchen. It was a humble beginning and I’m so proud! Louee is my adopted pup from the SPCA in Montreal and is the face of the brand. As part of our brand mission, we donate a portion of the profits to rescue shelters with every candle purchase. Bringing light into more than just your homes. As our business grew, I packed it up and moved into a proper studio. Just a year after relocating, I found myself with the opportunity to open my very first brick & mortar location in Neukölln, Berlin – a neighbourhood I loved and had been visiting for many years. We jumped at the chance and opened our doors in the spring of 2018. After two years, I spread my wings and moved north of the city, to open a bigger and brighter space. Meet Schmilblick, our French Café & Concept Shop - you'll find everything from delicious pastries to traditional baguette sandwiches in the Café (which is run by Ludo and Joh) along with our signature candles, poetic dried flower bouquets, terrariums and locally made home decor in the shop curated by me.
Tous Mag: How do you go about choosing and developing your candle scents?
Maya Sriqui: My roots and love for travel are my main inspirations. I was born in Washington D.C. and brought up by a French mother and a Moroccan father, before moving to Montreal, QC for my studies and work. I decided to leave the concrete jungle behind to explore the fauna and flora of Australia and New Zealand for a year. My experiences and memories come through in my candle collection. Each scent is unique to Garden State, I draw inspiration from some of my favourite places and people while developing and creating each fragrances (also selected for their therapeutic properties) like sparkling jasmine, warm amber, subtle green fig and calming sage.
Tous Mag: Dried flowers have become popular of late, as a wedding alternative especially, what do you think makes dried flowers so special?
Maya Sriqui: I’m very much drawn to the nostalgic poetry and the powerful symbolism of dried flowers and grasses. I created our dried dried flower and grass stand last summer as it felt like the natural step in growing and developing our brand. This year, they definitely became quite the sensation and we’re just excited to see people enjoying their eternal beauty, whilst drawing attention to their sustainability.
Tous Mag: You have a physical space, too? Could you tell us a little about Schmilblick and the environment you hope to create?
Maya Sriqui: We created Schmilblick with the desire to challenge ourselves as well as create and share our passions with the community. Through Schmilblick we wanted to transmit our love for interior design through refined objects that make up our daily lives. We also love to share our French culture, it’s particularly dear to us since it constitutes a large part of our identity. Combining the above with establishing a relationship with each customer is essential so that everyone feels at home when visiting.
Tous Mag: We love the team effort of Ludo and Joh running the French cafe and you the concept store. What does it mean to be able to be on this journey together?
Maya Sriqui: We were fortunate as partners to very quickly share the same vision and the same desires regarding the evolution of Schmilblick, which allowed us to create a harmonious space. Hard work, attention to detail and quality are values that drive all three of us. Finally, the complementarity of our three personalities is a strength that allows us to reach our goals!
Tous Mag: It's brilliant to see that you run workshops at Schmilblick! Is it important to you to share knowledge and keep the sense of community alive?
Maya Sriqui: Workshops are special formats that allow us to have a dedicated relationship with our community. A stimulating moment during which the transmission of a passion creates an incredible energy between participants. Schmilblick is at the heart of its essence during the workshops - it’s the moment when it conveys our values of sharing, exchange and passion.
Tous Mag: What do you like most about collaborating with designers and creators?
Maya Sriqui: Collaborating with designers, artists and creators is first of all a precious personal enrichment for us. Discovering an artist, who speaks to you about their profession and works with passion, is an exciting exchange. Exhibiting the works of these young artists within Schmilblick’s Shop & Cafe allows us to support their talents and contribute to their visibility in front of the Berlin public.
Tous Mag: What's next for GSC and Schmilblick, or are you just enjoying the ride?
Maya Sriqui: We are three ambitious personalities and always want to take the next step. The projects for Garden State and Schmilblick are therefore manifold, but we approach them with patience and reason, so that our love for detail is always at the centre of our projects. Stay tuned to our social networks to follow our journey.
Tous Mag: Why should people visit you at Schmilblick?
Maya Sriqui: We love to live in the present moment and can only advise you to come and share a sincere and pleasant moment with us at Schmilblick. If you like poetic and warm atmospheres, beautiful objects, French pastries and discussions over a good coffee, you’ll feel right at home here.
