Meet Melissa Hay | Candle Maker & Pop Up Organizer

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

Hi Melissa, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I didn’t have a thought process. What I had was a series of connections that seemed to be the universe showing me signs. I had no intention of starting 2 businesses. I was waiting tables at the San Pedro Brewing Company after a long hiatus from the restaurant industry. One year later, the pandemic hit. Like many people, I was stuck at home with 2 teenagers who zoomed all day. My husband was still working out of the home during the pandemic. I suddenly had a lot of time on my hands, which was unfamiliar territory.
I’ve always loved candles and during that downtime at home, I saw that I had so many empty jars from girls gifting me candles for Christmas. So I thought it would be cool to spend some time trying to make the empties into candles again. Recycling and caring for the Earth is an important value in our home, so I went to YouTube University, learned a lot and got to making. I really enjoyed the process and kept trying even though it was challenging. I was inspired during that time by so many of my friends who were posting on social media what they were making or baking. (I tried sourdough, but let’s just say I will stick to candle making and hosting pop ups.)
Hosting a pop up came to me because of the candles. I popped up in a friend’s back yard boutique during the pandemic. We invited just friends and family. I got to talking to Humberto, a.k.a. the Chori Man, who I knew because I was a frequent customer. He asked me to host something similar in front of his shop. Like me, he loves supporting our community and wanted to give back. I felt I could do it, as I’d hosted many events while serving the PTO for years, and I like to try new things.
I hosted my first Chori Man market July 2021 in front of his shop. It was a big hit, and beautiful to see so many people come out in support. There was 15 makers that day. The feedback was incredibly positive. Many people contacted me and said they wanted more of this in our town and community and I acted on that need.
I had briefly worked for San Pedro Today magazine as an ad rep during the pandemic, and I really connected with Josh the editor over the shared love of our town. He said one day we would work together in some fashion. So when the responses from the Chori Man market event came in, we knew we were on to something special.
Josn offered to sponsor the markets and suggested talking also to The Corner Store. We approached Peggy, the owner at the time, and she was very excited to have us there. We had our first San Pedro Markers Market Corner Store pop up in December of 2021, and it took off from there. So while I didn’t set out with specific intentions to start these 2 business, the combination of my love for this community and its unwavering support of what I was doing really felt like something special was happening.
From there the market grew to monthly pop-ups at many locations around town, including the Cabrillo Marina where we had 40 vendors. In 2023, I officially started San Pedro Makers Market. I had a wonderful group of talented makers (mostly female ) supporting me through this journey. Then in May we popped up at West Harbor, the exciting new waterfront development in town. In the midst of hosting all the pop ups, popping up, I was selling my candles as well.
In January of 2023, I opened a retail location for the candle shop in Crafted at the Port of L.A. I was very excited to be a part of the artistic community there and since that time the shop has grown.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a candle maker and market manager. And while there are a lot of candlemakers and pop ups out there today, what sets me apart from the rest is my why: my love for and connection to my community, the people and the places that helped shaped me all my life.

I was born and raised in San Pedro, a unique and remote section of the city of Los Angeles. It’s a place with a long history and deep roots, where everyone knows everyone. Although Los Angeles is a giant, world-class city, this far-flung southwest section section out on the harbor’s edge still retains that old-fashioned small-town feel that can easily lost in the bustle of a big city. I lived in other places and enjoyed it very much, but Pedro always felt like home. Its a tight-knit community and recognizing familiar faces all around town is undeniably special. I love what I do and where I do it, and I love finding ways to share that with my customers and community. It’s through their support that I have been able to build my successful candle shop, Homemade by the Hays, and my popular pop up event company, San Pedro’s Makers Market.

Several features of my candle making set me apart from others. The key difference is that they are 100 % soy wax and non toxic. I take great care to use only the cleanest materials available and create scents that are truly different. Another big difference between Homemade by the Hays and other candle makers os that I offer candle refills. I have yet to find another candle maker who offers this sustainable practice. Customers can bring back the original, now-empty jar or bowl they purchased, and I will refill it with any scent I carry, turning it back into a candle again. I am proud of this aspect of my business and know it is part of practical and sustainable business best practices.

The most challenging part of the craft when I started candle making was finding the right ratio of scent to wax. It took many trials and errors to get the scent just right. Candle making requires a great deal of patience, a virtue that doesn’t come easy to me, but I have learned how to be better through this process.

I am extremely proud of my other endeavor, San Pedro Makers Market, a monthly pop-up of local artisans, makers, bakers and cratfspeople. It started as a small community pop-up shop during the pandemic. Every time we popped up the community showed up and it allowed us to keep growing. I put my heart and soul into these events, and I set out to create a carefully curated, inviting space where makers, bakers and artists could connect to their customers, community and each other.

Building the market to where it is now was no small task. Managing and organizing events is a lot of work, and I’ve done it all: marketing , curating, setting up and breaking down, cleaning up, all with the help of my husband, who seriously saved me so many times. We quickly went from 15 makers to 40. And although we eventually brought some of the makers on to help, the pressure I put on myself to make each one better than the one before and keep people coming was a lot. I was also popping up with my candles, so the long days were both exhilarating and exhausting.

Whenever you are learning something, especially in the beginning, it is not easy. Every single thing is new territory. So many firsts can be frustrating, triggering fear and vulnerability. I learned as I went and what I didn’t know I made up along the way. I followed my gut as much as possible and didn’t let set backs or negativity get me down. I believed in what I was doing, and I know that, for me, trusting my instincts is key. This outlook has not let me down to date.

What I want people to know is that I do this all from the heart. Homemade by the Hays was born out of a desire to make beautiful, feel-good products while reducing waste and using natural, sustainable ingredients. San Pedro Makers Market started from an impulse to bring us together in a safe and responsible way during a time of isolation and uncertainty. What has sustained it is love for my community and the chance to elevate other women, which make up the vast majority of the market’s makers and bakers. My goal is to maintain the market’s positive, uplifting, supportive environment and use it as a tool to support the wonderful community of San Pedro.

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.
Im pretty simple …I would start them of right with one of my favorite combos in San Pedro. We would grab a latte from Colossus Bakery and a burrito ( bowl for me i am GF) from Chori Man and bring them down to Paseo Del Mar and have morning picnic on the coast . We would take a walk at Cabrillo Beach and then hop over to Crafted Port of Los Angeles . After that grab a seltzer or beer and a bite from Broujewri West. Royals Palms for an epic sunset and them La Sicilana for dinner and chat with the lovely owner Rita who makes you feel at home. . Next day we would head south take a yoga class on the bluff in Long Beach then grab a bite from Georges Greek Cafe then to Seal Beach to paddle board in the canals ,. Catch another sunset in Sunset Beach and for dinner we would go to Roman Cucina .

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?
My husband Jason most definitely deserves credit and recognition . He has been super supportive through all of it. He was always there to lend a helping hand. He did it all from making candles, loading up my car and unloading for my pop ups. He has supported every part of this business which has changed both of our lives. Owning a business is no easy task but without him i am not sure i would be where i am today . Whats great though is he enjoys it all too . He likes bing at the shop at Crafted and he has a a great time at the events. He loves the sense of community that it brings and that you can feel at the pop ups. The community of makers that was formed around the market is one of the reasons it has been so successful and also deserves much credit to the success of the pop ups. We call ourselves the P.V.T. Positive Vibe Tribe. We truly enjoyed being together and this group of strong , talented females brought that beautiful positive energy to these events as well as helping out in various ways especially as the events got bigger . Their support , encouragement and guidance allowed me to continue to grow these events. Last but not least Josh Stecker of San Pedro Today . His believe in me and his sponsorship of these events is in part one of the big reasons for the success of the pop ups as well as the candles . He put his trust in me as i was representing his business and that is something i will forever be grateful for. As a business owner your business is like a child , you are very protective of it and trusting someone to care for it as you do can be scary . His faith and trust in me i will be forever grateful for but also so thankful to call him a friend .

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Image Credits
Melissa Hay