He’s going places!
A 12-year-old just became the youngest leaseholder at one of the country’s largest malls, Tyson’s Corner, WUSA 9 news reports.
Alejandro Buxton is a 7th grader from Virginia who has always taken to various entrepreneurial endeavors. From mowing the lawn to shoveling snow, or the lemonade stand he runs, the pre-teen has always had his hands in something. During the pandemic, he found a new hobby that he’s been able to grow into a full-fledged business, making candles.
His mom, Patricia Buxton, said she wasn’t surprised at all when the then 9-year-old began using her kitchen as a production space for his candles. Alejandro has always been able to find ways to make a little extra money and Buxton said she thought this was no different, not realizing how quickly they would be able to expand operations.
“I was not surprised at all. So at the time, he already had a lemonade stand he sold out of my mom’s salon…We didn’t think too much of it…make a little money for your college fund,” said Buxton.
But what started as four to six candles at a time quickly blossomed and before they knew it, Alejandro was selling his candles at local markets and giving back to local charities.
“We give back to a local charity based out of Annandale that provides toiletries for the homeless… [and another] provides care packages for parents who have lost their child prematurely,” Buxton explained.
Now Alejandro has his own kiosk in Tysons Corner, one of the largest malls in the country, located in Tysons, Virginia. His company, Smell of Love Candles, currently sells its candles online but will soon be sold also in Tysons, on the second floor of the mall between Victoria’s Secret and the Banana Republic. The 12-year-old has now made history as the youngest leaseholder in the mall and Alejandro has already begun visioning what his kiosk will look like.
“[Everywhere] candles,” he told reporters while showing off the empty space.
The kidpreneur also has a production staff inside the mall and he is currently working to hire more staff to help operate the kiosk at full speed while still meeting demand at the local markets he still sells to. This September, he’s continuing his trend of giving back, fulfilling a teacher wish list. Now that he’s in the mall, Alejandro and his mom have big plans.
“Now that we’re gonna be in Tysons, I feel like we’ll be able to do even more,” said Buxton.
“I want to see all of our candles in every single household like everyone was burning the candles and love and joy coming into the houses,” said Alejandro.
His Smell of Love kiosk is set to open from September 1st through September 5th with Alejandro will be manning the kiosk when he’s not in school.
Congratulations!
Photo Courtesy of Smell of Love Candles/Facebook