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Ricardo Sison is the co-owner of Maison Verbena, which recently opened in downtown Napa at 1300 First St.
Sales associate Jonathan Ramirez organized items Thursday at Maison Verbena, a newly opened specialty shop in downtown Napa.
A view of Maison Verbena, a newly opened specialty shop in First Street in Napa.
An assortment of macarons is offered at Maison Verbena, a newly opened specialty shop that recently opened in Napa on First Street.
Walk into Maison Verbena, recently opened at 1300 First St. (Suite 252) next door to the newly reopened Kitchen Door, and you might feel your blood pressure drop a few points.
That’s if your eyes are drawn to the left of the store, where the candles, soaps, infusers and other home products are located.
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You can easily ‘sample’ any scent you wish by simply raising the dome around any candle, inhaling as you would a good glass of wine, and fully experiencing each individual fragrance, imagining how it would enhance an area in your home.
If upon entering your gaze is drawn to the right, you might start to salivate when you see the great selection of chocolates from the noted Yountville chef Chris Kollar of Kollar Chocolates, or those from Bryon Sheets of Feve Chocolates.
Both produce excellent truffles and mixed pieces, all individually airbrush-painted to create a dessert delight that is a treat for the eye as well as the mouth.
Buy them in traditional packaging, or try a unique love letter gift wrapped to look like a postcard ready to be mailed to a friend or loved one.
And if they haven’t sold out, pick up some macarons, created in San Francisco by Patrick Lassaque. Walk a little farther against that wall and you can choose from the grab-and-go treats, including the above-described chocolates and other edible treats.
And you’re just getting started …
As you walk through Maison Verbena, you’ll pass through six distinct areas — those above as well as a wine section, an area featuring luxury fashion books featuring Louis Vuitton, Tiffany and other subjects, and an area with linens, tablecloths, napkins and more from Belgium and around the world.
It all started with the candles, which, as founder Ricardo Sison explains, is only logical.
“When it comes to living your best life, creating ideal environments for yourself can be just as important as what you put in and on your body," he said. "After all, your setting affects you at all times of the day and plays a big part in your psychological and emotional well-being. It pays off to pay attention to the details; being conscious of your home scents can positively transform your mood.”
Sison hand-makes all the scented products. For the candles, he uses organic soy wax, never paraffin, and all are hand-poured into vessels that feature an etching of the famous Painted Ladies, the iconic houses in San Francisco. (Look for Napa-specific images in the not-too-distant future.)
Small candles start at $25 and burn for 25 hours, while mediums are $43 and burn for 45 hours. There is an art to getting the most out of a candle, which the staff at Maison Verbena shares with everyone.
Not only are the vessels reusable, the ingredients used in the candles are all organic and food-safe, such that you could use them for drinks after washing it out. There are 10 scents that are always in stock, including Brown Sugar Vanilla, French Lavender and Pomelo Cedar, and more that appear seasonally.
Soaps of matching or similar scents are also available. “Some customers tell us that they don’t unwrap the soaps, they just use them for the scent,” said Sison. If you are not into candles, Maison Verbena offers the same fragrances in diffusers and spray bottles.
Sison has a strong background in international retail buying. Twelve years ago, he began making soaps and candles on a wholesale basis, and sold them to some shops in the San Francisco Ferry Building. Six years ago, he met Derek Jin, a software engineer who helped Sison with web design and photography.
“I’m always interested in trying new things,” said Jin, and he was enthralled with the business Sison was creating. The two began to attend trade shows in New York, and Jin joined as a partner.
When COVID-19 forced the closure of several ferry building businesses 18 months ago, the two partners were offered retail space of their own. They took a leap of faith, opened in April, and have been very well received. They consider their location in Napa to be their flagship store.
Both men are very humble. “In this time of struggle, we are very blessed to be in this community,” said Jin. “If you have the time, we invite you to come by and see if what we can offer resonates with you.”
In what seems to be the opposite of current trends, the two men are focused on their brick-and-mortar stores, and not on their website business.
“It’s challenging enough to supply the demands from both stores, so why would we shift our focus to online just yet?” said Jin.
Maison Verbena is open in Napa Thursday through Tuesday, or if you’d like, visit them online first at maisonverbena.com.
Take a ride on the iconic Napa Valley Valley Wine Train that offers world class food spectacular views and friendly service as you cruise through vineyards and the charming towns that make up the Napa Valley.
A look at the entrance to Maison Verbena, at 1300 First St. in downtown Napa.
Ricardo Sison, co-owner of Maison Verbena, works behind the counter at his new shop that recently opened in Napa onThursday.
Custom made candles are seen at Maison Verbena, a newly opened specialty shop in Napa onThursday.
An assortment of macarons is offered at Maison Verbena, a newly opened specialty shop that recently opened in Napa on First Street.
A Custom made wine box is that is unique to Napa is seen at Maison Verbena, a newly opened specialty shop onThursday.
Custom made candles are seen at Maison Verbena, a newly opened specialty shop in Napa onThursday.
Sales associate Jonathan Ramirez organized items Thursday at Maison Verbena, a newly opened specialty shop in downtown Napa.
A view of Maison Verbena, a newly opened specialty shop in First Street in Napa.
Ricardo Sison is the co-owner of Maison Verbena, which recently opened in downtown Napa at 1300 First St.
You can reach business editor Jennifer Huffman at 707-256-2218 or jhuffman@napanews.com
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Napa Valley hotel revenue, demand rises — but not all reach pre-pandemic levels
Ricardo Sison is the co-owner of Maison Verbena, which recently opened in downtown Napa at 1300 First St.
Sales associate Jonathan Ramirez organized items Thursday at Maison Verbena, a newly opened specialty shop in downtown Napa.
A view of Maison Verbena, a newly opened specialty shop in First Street in Napa.
An assortment of macarons is offered at Maison Verbena, a newly opened specialty shop that recently opened in Napa on First Street.
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