In 2000, entrepreneur Bart Kennington was exposed to the dangers of lit candles after an unattended candle sparked a fire that destroyed a neighbor’s home. Realizing the significance of the problem, Bart set out looking for a solution and turned to a mug warmer he was given as a gift. He realized that the mug warmer was the perfect solution to release a candle’s fragrance without the need for an open flame. Following a hunch, Bart spent nearly all of his family’s savings and purchased five thousand mug warmers, introducing the world to a safer alternative to burning a candle.

With over ten thousand house fires each year in the U.S. attributed to burning candles (according to the National Candle Association), Bart’s idea caught on quickly. Within a few years Bart’s young company had grown to include all four of his children and several other family members. Candle Warmers Etc. was now selling a variety of candle warmers to over ten thousand gift stores across the United States. In 2007 Bart’s family business joined with the Beesley family, brothers Brad, Brian, and Spencer, and brothers-in-law Chris Barnes and Brett Heyland, creating a new ownership group. The growth of the company has continued since the merger and Candle Warmers Etc. has increased exponentially. The company continues to lead the rapidly growing candle warmer industry, all while remaining fiercely loyal to the company’s family culture and passion for innovation.