From Coleraine kitchen table to homes around the World: Olivia’s Haven is smelling sweet success and 'there’s so much more to come'

If you had told me five years ago that a lockdown hobby would become a full-blown business with stores across Northern Ireland, I wouldn’t have believed you. But here we are – Olivia’s Haven has just opened its third retail store, right in the heart of Belfast city centre, and I couldn’t be more proud of how far we’ve come.

I was born and raised in Coleraine, on Northern Ireland’s north coast, and some of my fondest childhood memories come from time spent in that beautiful part of the world. Whether it was family picnics on the beach, baking with my mum, or spending long summer evenings with friends, those moments are the inspiration behind the scents I create today.

Before launching Olivia’s Haven, I worked for nearly a decade in branding – helping other businesses shape their identities, hone their message, and stand out. I loved the creativity of it, but there was always a niggling desire to do something of my own, something that combined my love of storytelling, design, and home fragrance.

I’ve always been a self-confessed candle addict, but in January 2019, I started to become fascinated with the powerful link between scent and memory. I began experimenting with wax and fragrance oils in my kitchen, trying to capture the feeling of moments from my past in scent form. From the beginning, I didn’t want the candles to just smell good – I wanted them to mean something.

In early 2020, after taking voluntary redundancy, I took a leap of faith and launched Olivia’s Haven – just as the world went into lockdown. Like many small businesses born during the pandemic, I had no real certainty about what would happen. But I launched a TikTok Shop, working from my home studio in Coleraine, pouring candles by hand and packing each order with care.

It was local support that got us off the ground. Word spread quickly, and within 18 months we had built an online community of over 20,000 loyal customers.

I opened first ever Olivia's Haven store in Coleraine in March 2023, and discover our best-selling collection of scents in person! We started with just six signature soy candles, but have since grown the collection to include over 30 unique scents, all inspired by my life experiences – from “The Wedding”, created for my own big day, to “The Nursery”, which captures the soft sweetness of my daughter Sophie’s early days.

What has always mattered most to me is that everything we do at Olivia’s Haven is authentic. Every product is still hand poured here in Northern Ireland, and our packaging – fun, bold, and story-led – has been thoughtfully designed to reflect each candle’s origin story. I spent nearly a year working with an illustrator before we even launched, because I wanted every detail to feel personal and joyful.

Fast forward to today, and our team has grown from eight people across retail, production, e-commerce, design and marketing to an amazing 20. And now, with the opening of our third store, adding to the Coleraine HQ and East Belfast store on Belmont Road, two existing team members have also earned promotion to more senior roles.

The new 1,000 sq ft space at 22 Ann Street in Belfast will offer our full range of sustainable home fragrance products, including festive exclusives just in time for Christmas gifting. We’ve worked hard to make this a special space – warm, welcoming, and full of inspiration. There’s even a brand-new scent that will only be available at this store, which I can’t wait for people to discover.

Olivia’s Haven started as a way for me to preserve my memories through scent, but what’s been even more rewarding is seeing how those fragrances have become part of your lives. Whether it’s a scent that reminds you of home, helps you relax, or marks a special occasion, I’m so grateful to play a small part in your everyday moments.

As we continue to grow – locally and beyond – we remain rooted in the values that started it all: craftsmanship, storytelling, and a whole lot of love poured into every product.

Thank you for supporting us, sharing your stories, and being part of this journey. There’s so much more to come.