As I reflect on nine years of Keap, I find it remarkable that since our inception, we have Keapers who have evolved through multiple life changes: Many have changed and established new careers, moved states, seen loved ones pass, started new relationships, planted new gardens, had children and seen them grow—and some were children themselves back when Keap started!

We reached out to some of our longest-standing Keapers, who have been candle subscribers since the beginning, to understand the changes our candles have seen them through.

Before I share their words with you, I want to share one fun request and one update:

We will only turn 10 once, and we want to make sure we mark the occasion and celebrate our wonderful community. We have a year to plan it, and we’d love to hear your thoughts on how to make it a day to remember.

🔟🎂 Answer our 1-minute survey here 🎂🔟

To sweeten the deal, we’ll share a $10 credit to use on your next order!

Lastly, we still have a few more Grapefruit + Yuzu candles up on the site (Use password ZESTISBEST, in all caps), but they are going fast. We’re working on some website changes to make our unusual business model easier to understand, but in the meantime Suzanne just published this helpful FAQ to demystify our Limited Releases.

We’ll be back next week with our regular newsletter format. In the meantime, I leave you with these beautiful memories from our Keapers.

Thank you for helping us hit this big milestone. Have a great week!

Warmly,

— Harry from Keap, Steward-Owner

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9 year reflections from our Keapers
Some of the entries were lightly edited for brevity and clarity. 

A Personal Feeling 

“My first Keap candle was, in fact, a happy accident. My friend, Rudy, was a friend of Stephen (or maybe it was Harry… I forget!) We were always looking for fun things to do and one autumn night he suggested we try this drink-wine-and-make-your-own-candle night his friends‘ company was doing in Industry City. Say no more, me and Lorraine (another long time subscriber) were all over it. Long story short: we all had a blast (fun AND informative) and I think I started subscribing v soon after that. I couldn’t get enough Wood Cabin (gave them out that year as holiday treats to all my friends - the packaging was divine) but more than that, I loved feeling invested in this small company called Keap that made every communication, every delivery, every matchbox and poem and coaster and candle feel so utterly personal. And as the years have gone by that feeling has only grown deeper and more resonant; I even switched banks because of Keap (go Walden!). When some belt tightening had to happen last year and I started searching for extraneous expenses that could be sacrificed on the altar of responsibility, I reasoned, some would say rationalized, that I while I didn’t necessarily need the candles, I needed this company to exist and to thrive because what it stood for and what it delivered made my world a better place. Sometimes a candle is not just a candle!” 

— Michael in NYC

Staring Outside During a Spring Rain 

“I’ve always had a keen sense of smell, and even more importantly I’ve always had a bigger sense of how the right olfactory scene can set the mood — whatever the occasion. I get that from my mother. She’d always have a candle burning in the house when I was growing up. Having the right scent and burning a candle means being cozy, curled up with a great book, and staring outside during a spring rain. It means having people over and sharing a meal. It means snowy holidays with family and friends. It means being at the beach in the summertime. Keap has been there through multiple apartments and countless memories, from the city to the suburbs. A constant. It’s a meaningful thing for me, and here’s to many more years of keeping the fire burning.” 

— Sean in Westchester

Gazing at the Candle’s Glow

“After 9 years of Keap, you’ve become a part of those everyday traditions that make our house a home… cozy nights, relaxing baths, reading chairs, get togethers and holidays. But my favorite is how much our little pup just loved to gaze at the candle’s glow. He loved it so much we’d light it almost every night. And even though he left us a couple of years ago, we keep the tradition alive as a lovely way to remember our best guy. Thank you and cheers to another 9 years!” 

— Shanna in Massachusetts