Candle Bar Planned For East Town

Site of proposed Luxe Pour Studio, 765 N. Jackson St. Photo taken June 17, 2026 by Sophie Bolich.

A visit to Luxe Pour Studio will begin with one simple question: “What do you need today?”

At the soon-to-open candle bar, 765 N. Jackson St., the answer will help guide everything that follows.

Apothecary bottles line the studio’s wall-to-wall shelves, their custom labels noting descriptors like love, energy and calm. Visitors will use those blends as a starting point to create their own candles.

“The whole idea is that people are being intentional about the mood they’re looking for,” said owner Adrienne Reese. “Whether it’s focus, joy, relaxation — we have already put scents together that help create that mood.”

Alongside custom scents, visitors can personalize their creations with coloring, florals and shimmery mica powder. They’ll also be encouraged to fill out intention cards, curate an on-theme playlist and snap photos by a decorated selfie wall while the finished product cures.

Candles at Luxe Pour Studio are made in colorful, 16-ounce glass jars, which Reese said is larger than those typically offered at candle bars.

The studio space, once home to a salon and spa, is still taking shape. Reese plans to add artwork and decor, refine displays and bring in additional seating before opening. Once complete, the candle bar will feature two main tables accommodating up to 16 guests at a time, and a bar area reserved for walk-ins.

Sessions will last approximately two hours, Reese said, with booking options for private events also available.

The candle bar will pour more than just wax, offering a selection of red and white wine, along with champagne for guests to sip during the experience.

Luxe Pour Studio will be the second venture for Reese, who also owns Grey House Studio in Wauwatosa. She took over the turnkey operation in 2024, beginning a new professional chapter after 15 years in higher education.

“I had been putting it out there … that I wanted to go back into entrepreneurship,” she said. “I wanted a space to create experiences for people.”

Reese knew creativity would be central to the business. “I’ve been a crafter since I can remember,” Reese said. “Woodshop and home economics back in elementary school, those were all my favorite things.”

Unsurprisingly, candles are among Reese’s favorite crafts. “It started with the love of candles,” she said of the proposed business, adding that she was once a participant in the workshops she’ll soon be leading.

“When I first started, I wasn’t necessarily looking for the best, I was looking for the cheapest,” she said. “I never knew there was a difference.”

Now, Reese seeks out high-quality wax and scents, and is working to perfect the process to achieve “a really good, solid candle.”

She’s also picked up some interesting tidbits throughout her research. “I share stories with people as we learn the candle experience, like the history of candle making. I talked about the wax, I talked about the different scents, and how they trigger memories, and it just became a whole experience.”

“It’s been great. It’s been a wonderful ride,” she added. “It’s been more than I could have asked for or imagined.”

Reese is awaiting final city approval for the business before setting an official opening date. Additional updates and information will be shared through the studio’s website and social media.

The business’s hours of operation, subject to change, are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Luxe Pour Studio would join several existing candle-making businesses in Milwaukee, including Glassnote Candle Bar on S. 2nd Street, Bleu Lux Candle Bar on W. Burleigh Street and C.B. Apothecary on N. Broadway.

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