Apothecary lovers, this one’s for you. Miguel Goncalves, a Hoboken resident, made a bold move during the pandemic: he quit his corporate job to become the first person in his family to open a business. So, naturally, he wanted to focus his new business on something he loves: scents + Hoboken. Read on to learn more about the new apothecary boutique, Wicked Scents, that opened today in Hoboken at 163 2nd Street — where the former City Kidz was located.
His Mission
“I want to provide a local solution for locals to get some stress-relieving products and enjoy the zen of candles and essential oils as much as I do,” Goncalves says. So, he’s opening Wicked Scents on 2nd Street, dedicating his store to candles, “with diffusers, essential oils, bath bombs, and soaps,” Miguel told Hoboken Girl.
The shop is a personal experience for Goncalves, who is checking off many firsts in his family: he’s a 31-year old entrepreneur who comes from a family of Portuguese immigrants and is the first in his family to get his MBA.
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Goncalves began plans to take over the space about two months ago and hopes to welcome visitors into his store after renovations are complete and his shelves are fully stocked at the end of March or the beginning of April, and the inside features a design from a Connecticut artist, Kae.
What To Expect
{Photo credit: @rockcreeksoaps}
As well as carrying the local private brand Lucid Flame Candle Co., Wicked Scents will carry favorites like Yankee Candle, Bridgewater, Votivo, Rock Creek Soaps, and more. And, while he quit his corporate job to start this new venture, he owes the idea to the eight years he spent in his former career.
“I came about the idea because I came from a consumer packed goods background and noticed the candle, essential oil, and soap industry was a growing segment,” he says. And, because he is a dog owner, Wicked Scents will be a dog-friendly business.
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Wicked Scents will be joining the ranks of boutiques like UNJUMBLED, The Co., The Washington General, and ONE SOL, all Hoboken boutiques that carry a range of apothecary goods such as soaps, bath bombs, essentials oils, candles, and more. Jersey City residents have Kanibal + Co, The Lucky HoneyBee, and Walker’s Apothecary for their apothecary needs.
