How local business owners are planning for an unknown future: Wax + Wine

When the pandemic hit, and businesses began to close their doors a lot of uncertainty was in the air—and there still is that feeling. However, many creative heads have taken the time to implement strategies to try and plan for what’s next in all industries, including retail. 

In a new series, “Looking Ahead,” Metro chats with a few local businesses who have taken the time to plan exactly what should be happening next, because when the unknown is all you see, you have to be prepared for anything.

Jordan Beletz, co-owner of Wax + Wine—the unique studio space in downtown Philadelphia that offers visitors the opportunity to make their own candles and bring their own booze—among many business heads, has had to pivot to figure out how his spot can reopen after the pandemic subsides. Being a place that typically relies on in-person contact, it was a tough adjustment to switch to following social distancing practices, but Beletz and the team at Wax + Wine have figured out a way to still bring their unique product to the virtual sphere. With their online store in full swing, the storefront has been able to survive, but there are still a lot of unknowns set for the future. 

What have the past few months looked like for your business? What did you do to help survive? 

There is no doubt that it has been a difficult past couple of months. Being a business that spent the past 2 years trying to give our customers the best in-store experience they could possibly have, we had no choice but to completely pivot our business to virtual. We launched an online business where customers can create their own custom candles without physically having to come to our store. 

What kind of planning went into place to anticipate opening back up? 

We are still currently in the planning phase but we will be following all of the CDC guidelines and have connected with other similar candle businesses around the country in other states that had previously opened up and talked about what has been working and challenges they faced. Safety will be the (utmost) importance to us while still trying to give customers a fun and creative experience. 

What will you be doing differently after opening post-corona? 

We will be having less people which will actually give the customer more of a personalized experience and individualized attention with our instructors. Our cleaning process will increase greatly and we will also be giving customers the option to bring the Wax + Wine experience to their home through our virtual platform. 

 What else do you want people to know about your business and what you’re doing to maneuver through this precarious time?

The most important thing I would like people to know about our business [is] to have patience once we reopen. We will be entering a new normal and will have to make changes to our business, which will be a bit of a different experience from the past if they were in our store before, but it is to make sure all of our customers and employees stay safe. We are always open to new ideas and feedback from past or future customers to give you all the best new experience possible. 

 Are there any specific ways that people can help support your business?

Gift Cards help us greatly since we have had very little cash flow the past few months. Also booking future reservations when we do reopen [is] greatly appreciated [and] we can’t wait to have customers back in our store again.

To learn more about Wax + Wine, visit waxandwine.com