we’re back.
We started out as With Love Candle Co. in June 2020. Founded by then Alexandra Burns and Tommy Townsend after a mere two months of dating during a global pandemic. Both of us yearned for something greater, some way to be creative when everything we knew had changed.
Our community rallied around us from the very start: we made $30,000 in sales in our first 6 months of business. We had no idea things would take off the way they did and we very much were building the business as we went.
From 2020 - early 2022 With Love Candle Co. was booming - ecommerce and physical events like the Southland Street Fair and Scare Fest.
We donated over $3,000 to causes that meant the most to us: UK Children’s Hospital, Appalachian flood relief, LGBTQIA+ foundations, and so many more.
However, in 2022 we took an unintentional hiatus when both Alexandra and Tommy pivoted their full time career paths. It did give us plenty of time to think about how we wanted to do things when we came back.
One of those things was choosing a more personal, intentional name. In 2020, our love story was still being written. More than 5 years later, we know exactly who we are. 10twentysix represents Mr. Tommy and Mrs. Alexandra Townsend’s wedding anniversary: October 26.
We are so excited to relaunch our business as husband and wife and build a business that lasts forever: just like us.
photo credit: Dear Rosalie Photo + Film Co.
Alexandra
A second generation candlemaker from the mountains of Appalachia, Alexandra holds a BA in Arts Administration and a MS in Retailing + Tourism Management.
All through college, Alexandra was often asked “what do you do?” because of course, every Arts Administration major must be an artist too. It wasn’t until she tried her hand at candle making that she felt that creative ‘click.’
Alexandra’s mother made candles with her brother and the sense of purpose and stress relief this hobby held for her mom inspired her to try it herself during the pandemic.
So, she looked at her boyfriend of two months and said “I want to make candles.”
The rest, as they say, is history.
Collections curated by Alexandra find inspiration in the metaphysical, witchy, and bookish worlds.
Tommy
The son of a Pastor from Frankfort, KY, Tommy is currently working on his BA in Arts Administration with plans for an MA in Arts Administration after.
A jazz musician at his core, Tommy has been playing trombone since elementary school. A passion for music, Tommy was almost a music educator.
Tommy has always loved a good candle. So when his girlfriend of two months looked at him and said “I want to make candles,” he looked at her and said:
“Let’s do it.”
The executor in the duo, Tommy makes sure things actually happen after Alexandra dreams big. 10twentysix Fragrance would not exist in the real world without him.
Collections curated by Tommy find inspiration in coffee and cafe creations as well as any sort of gaming.