Aura Candle Bar was such a fun experience that I would 100% do again!…read more Alex was our guide. Not only was she knowledgeable, but she was also very sweet and kind. Gave very clear instructions and was just super interactive which I appreciated. They have so many scents to choose from that you definitely won't be able to smell them all, but I think you can get through a good amount of them to know that you're picking the best scents that stand out to you. I think this experience is definitely worth the money! They hold the candles for you for two weeks, but you can go in the same day to pick it up too just a few hours later. I can't wait to go back!

10000% this is one of the most relaxing and fun things I've done in Chicago! This is a make your…read moreown candle bar. Your experience begins by choosing 5-12 of your favorite scents from a huge wall of over 100 scents, and writing that on a sheet of paper. You also choose which vessel you want your candle to go in. After that, your scent consultant helps you pick out the three that work the best based on your preferences, and you get to try different concoctions until it smells exactly how you want it! Finally, you get to mix your essential oils and scents into the vessel with wax, and tada!! You're all set!! Honestly, for $50 a person it's not too bad, as some higher quality candles out there cost just as much.

The R n B candle making was fantastic. The experience is unique and not what I expected. I was very…read moreimpressed with the interactive aspect of this event and highly recommend. I plan to come back for another event.

We did the couples wine and chocolate tasting class. It was so much fun! Cannot recommend highly…read moreenough. Oji is a fantastic facilitator. We had so much fun!

I attended a private candle making group event and it was so much fun! It was my first time making…read moremy own candle and I absolutely loved the whole process. There's quite a bit of waiting around for the candle to solidify before you decorate it. They have so many choices including different stones, glitter, and shells for decorating. I picked the sage fragrance for one candle and a more fruity scent, which I believe was the mango papaya, for the other candle. I also liked their birthday cake scent. I could see this being such a fun, unique activity for a date or bachelorette party.

Candle Castle and Co was such a fun outing for girls night. The store is so cute inside, with…read moreplenty of vessels and scents to choose from. The instructor did an excellent job explaining all the steps during the candle making workshop, so it was really easy to follow along. I love how my candle turned out and I'm so excited to use it at home. The only downside is that the candle making workshop is a bit pricey for only being able to make one candle, but for the overall experience it seems like a fair price.

Super cute store! Have a really good selection of candles, books, stickers, trinkets, and cute…read morelittle gifts or decorations. Prices range but for a boutique business not bad at all. Candles range from 10-35$. Service was great the person who helped us was friendly and nice, they even give a discount for new customers at the time we went! They also offer candle making experiences which sounds so fun!

Love this store. Good selection. Nice owners and beautiful things... I just go in a happily…read morebrowse. Than but beautiful things.

A fun selection of gifts, cards, jewelry and food items. I spotted hats and stickers from The…read moreSilver Spider Print Shop (including ball caps declaring your favorite items such as "Butter" or "Dill Pickles") and ended up buying a weekly meal planning/shopping list notepad that hopefully my fiance and I will be organized enough to make use of. Cool gifts for those quirky friends (or if that's you, go in and find something fun for yourself).

Cute kitschy little shop. I drove all the way from the south suburbs just to visit this place. I…read moreloved all the unique items ans enjoyed walking around taking it all in. There were a few things I considered purchasing, but decided against it after seeing the prices. I left empty handed because of this, but it was still fun sewing everything. I would visit again if I'm in the area. The only down sides were that the staff could be friendlier and I did have a moment of feeling watched and followed. They also allow pets, which I know is pretty typical in this area, but I'm not a fan of.

Amazing clothes. Cool owner. I loved this store so much. Don't be deterred by prices online. They…read morehave sales!

Another placeholder so my pictures link. I'll update with details later, but the 4 star rating…read moreholds true.

Stepping into Diptyque Chicago felt like being transported back to Paris. The boutique is…read morebeautiful. It is refined, intimate, and effortlessly chic. We had long admired the brand and were excited to finally experience it in person. Steven welcomed us warmly and guided us through the collection with such kindness and expertise. His knowledge and passion really elevated the experience. We found the perfect diffuser, a scent that now holds special memories and was the most beautiful way to celebrate Valentine's Day. We will absolutely return to shop with Steven again. A lovely experience from beginning to end!

This store is gorgeous! They have the most beautiful perfumes and candles. The employees are very…read morehelpful and knowledgeable, and will give you personalized recommendations if you ask! However, because it is such a small space, it can feel like the employees are monitoring you when there are three out on the floor.

I would describe this botanica as having an assortment of old and new. By this I mean that they…read morehave quite a few of your classic plaster statues of Catholic saints and spirits used in Espiritismo but they also have a selection of resin statues that are more common today. In addition to statues, they also have a decent selection of votive candles along with oils and incense. As far as items in the Santeria tradition, I was only able to see a selection of elekes but I didn't see any other items. I could be mistaken so it might be a good idea to call ahead if you need a cauldron or any other hard-to-find items. The herb selection was not as abundant but there were enough to meet most needs. The woman that worked there was very friendly and approachable. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area.

I called to see if they had certain candles and they were really good with helping me out. I was…read moreable to get my order curbside with no problem and they wore a mask. I know quite a few people that have gone to this business of different races and everyone has nothing but good things to say. As far as their knowledge on candles, saints and other items, they were very knowledgeable. I read a review on here that said otherwise and that is really hard to believe. These are good people with over 30 years years of experience and are very good at what they do. Please take the time to visit this business and you will also be impressed with their kindness and excellent service. I am a regular.

I love a good punny name, this one based upon the name of the neighborhood (Ravenswood). I've…read moredriven by Ravensgoods so many times; if it wasn't here before I moved to the neighborhood, it opened shortly thereafter. This very tiny shop has a variety of items that would be perfect if you need to pick up a gift for someone. They have candles, greeting cards, jewelry, and several baby items. I ended up buying a cute little onesie that has is designed to look like the Chicago flag but with hearts in place of the stars. it's so cute and I can't wait to put it on my little ones. They had several other onesies that were cute. I mentioned to the shopkeeper that I wanted to get a little bean onesie, and she mentioned they carry them but they sell out so quickly and the woman who she gets them from is backed up in stock.It makes sense to me because they're adorable! I didn't realize they had them here so it's good I could pick it up from here if I can't find it elsewhere. Parking is on the street BUT you're in luck because the Brown Line station is half a block away. There's also street parking on Damen and possibly the surrounding streets (not sure, but because it's near a train station I'd suspect it might be permit parking on the side streets).

My favorite gift boutique now that runs workshops with wine for painting, jewelry, tarot and more .read more

This is a tiny shop, but it is PACKED with botanicals…read more The shopkeeper was friendly and quite knowledgeable, but he wasn't wearing a mask and this was a few days to a week before the mask mandate ended in Chicago (February 28, 2022) and I'm already a bit wary so I headed out. I'm not sure if that was on purpose or he didn't realize, but it was getting a little crowded in the store for me anyway so probably would have been ready to leave regardless. There are lots of plants, and my understanding is that not everything is on display since they're short on space in the main area of the shop. They have a nice collection of orchids, too; I actually considered getting one, but changed my mind. For some reason I think of them as being somewhat... difficult, or needing more attention (whether that's true or not I'm not sure), and I have enough responsibilities with the plants I already own (especially one of my calatheas that's being a bit of a drama queen at the moment!). I may have to try my hand at an orchid sometime, though. The aforementioned shopkeep gave me a huge boost of confidence that I could. In our discussion he mentioned the crucial point that orchids are just plants that flower more often than other botanical houseplants folks might keep, even though many green houseplants may flower under the right conditions. Once an orchid stops flowering, they're still plants without the flowers for you to care for. Food for thought! They also have a shop pet, which was a surprise! I don't like lizards, but luckily this one was in an enclosure. I was a bit startled, though, so be forewarned that the little guy is hanging out in his plexiglass home--he won't hurt you, since you won't be able to touch him, but I as I said, I was surprised! They don't have a huge collection of pots, but the plants all looked lovely and healthy. They have some popular favorites, but it also seemed they had some more unusual and harder to find plants. They have displays for live plant walls for which you can consult with them to install in your home or office, too, if you wish. Parking on this stretch of Damen is touch and go, and it's paid, so plan accordingly.

I love Vedas Plant shop! Jeff is unbelievably knowledgeable and helped educate me on how to…read moreproperly care for plants- a huge feat which he will tell you first hand. He put the two beautiful centerpieces for me together (pictures below), repotted a few of my plants and brought them back to life and helped me decorate my mantle. Highly recommend!!!!