About us

Hi, I’m Kari Barnes, CEO and founder of Hat Creek Candle Co.

Here at Hat Creek, we have a passion for the simple joys of life: family, friends, the soothing light of a flickering candle, the sweet scent of lilacs blooming in spring.

It’s why we make the products we do. In our mind, nothing is as mood-enhancing as a fantastic scent in your home. It’s one of the most powerful ways to affect your environment. 

Science has proven that smell impacts your emotions faster than your other senses due to the unique olfactory connection to the brain. 

Simply put: a great scent can be transformative. 

Whether you want to walk through a soothing field of lavender, be invigorated by a fresh pine forest, or visit sweet old grandma’s apple pie kitchen, all you need to do is light a wick or turn on a melter. 

What a great, easy way to make a positive change in your life!

We’ve been making this experience possible for 17 years now by creating and selling our products out of the heart of the Midwest: Watertown, Wisconsin.

Since our modest beginnings working in my Dad’s basement (mixing by hand with borrowed bakery pans and an old Nesco melter) we have seen some great improvements:

  • Expanding to the factory location
  • Showing at major craft shows
  • Opening a retail storefront
  • Selling internationally to South Korea, New Zealand, and Australia
  • Being featured on an episode of Food Network’s television program Unwrapped, which continues to air to this day.

What an amazing journey.

And we continue to evolve. Our new website is mobile-friendly, with an emphasis on personalization. So you have the option to create what you want and share what you like. 

We hope you’ll be part of the Hat Creek experience, and take part in what we love. 

Wishing you simple pleasures,

Kari