When JoJo’s Olfactory & Co.’s owner Abby Ward was asked a common question for new Wabash business owners: “Why Wabash?” she answered with this:
“Wabash was the place to open our store because of the arts and culture that drive this community.”
We couldn’t agree more. The local candle and fragrance bar, JoJo’s Olfactory & Co., has become a fan-favorite location in our micropolitan downtown. Interactive elements of creating a custom scented candle or other room fragrance are attractive for someone wanting to create something meaningful. JoJo’s Olfactory & Co. specializes in the true, personal touch.
What is a fragrance bar?
According to Abby, it’s a one-stop shop for someone to come and make a custom scent by blending different fragrance oils together to their liking. JoJo’s carries more than 100 different scents to choose from like coffee, caramel and hazelnut scents, which go well together! Among the 100+ scents are olfactory categories like floral, baking scents, clean/fresh scents, woodsy scents, etc.
What does olfactory mean?
Olfactory relates to the sense of smell (including organs such as the nose, nasal cavities and the brain’s parietal lobe).
Abby’s seven-year-dream of opening a fragrance bar came true and JoJo’s was born, opening its doors in April 2021. Currently operating with eight rotating staff members, JoJo’s continues to feel the love from the Wabash community as it enters its one-year-anniversary.
“We have the best staff and location to bring in the customers, but it’s the community of partnerships in Wabash that has carried us,” Abby said. “The only thing the staff and I look forward to when coming to the shop is making people feel happy and calm. We have made many connections with our then customers that have become very close friends.”
JoJo’s is constantly bringing new products and experiences to its space providing ample family-friendly offerings. Its most popular item is the signature concrete vessel. Concrete vessels are hand-poured in-house and offered as recycling vessels for customers. JoJo’s also sells hand-poured candles in glass vessels melting wax tarts, sugar scrubs, reed diffusers, car diffusers, goats’ milk lotions, room sprays, roll-ons, liquid hand soaps and massage oils. Each of these products are available for customers to customize to their unique tastes while in-store.
The JoJo’s team is proud to offer the wide variety of products on its shelves while locally sourcing its handmade concrete vessels. The concrete vessels come in unique shapes, often times seasonal and holiday related, with a complementary 50% off refill following the initial purchase. The retail products are definitely affordable with prices starting at $8.
While the smell-goods are certainly a focal point for JoJo’s, special events like creative workshops and private gatherings are offered in the included room of the back half of its space. Expect to see the back room often utilized for company parties, rehearsal dinners, baby and bridal showers and bachelorette and birthday parties.
JoJo’s has also honed in on its affinity for small businesses. The creative workshops like the Mommy & Me Collaboration with the Wabash County Museum, charcuterie board building events with Poole’s Meat Market, chunky-knit blanket crafting, MoJoe at JoJo’s and others are specially priced and paired with delightful JoJo’s products.
Since opening its doors in 2021, the JoJo’s experience has been crafted specifically as a welcoming environment. Abby and her team have perfected the warm greeting and friendly experience since day one.
“JoJo’s is a place that makes you want to stay and hang out for a while. It’s cozy, smells amazing and you have great conversation and bonding,” Abby said. “We like to think of JoJo’s as a safe place for our new and old friends to create their signature scents.”
Finding the perfect balance of in-store experiences and community involvement, JoJo’s Olfactory & Co. has launched a new sector of its operations: Fundraising.
JoJo’s offers a fundraising program allowing organizations to sell JoJo’s products and receive 35% of the net profit. Multiple successful fundraisers have already taken place in the Wabash community thanks to JoJo’s and its dedicated team that care deeply about their community.
So, when you visit JoJo’s Olfactory & Co., you’re guaranteed not only a great smelling experience but an experience that will leave you wanting to try other parts of the business and sharing them with people you love. From events to gatherings and signature scents to meaningful gifts, you’ll be sure to make the perfect olfactory memories every time.
Stop by and visit the team at JoJo’s on Monday – Friday from noon – 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Get directions to their shop on Canal St. in Downtown Wabash here. Want to schedule something for an earlier or later time? JoJo’s will accommodate appointments for groups at any other time. Follow along with JoJo’s on Facebook and Instagram.
