Kristen Pumphrey and Thomas Neuberger

For Kristen Pumphrey and Thomas Neuberger, co-owners of P.F. Candle Co. and authors of At Home with Fragrance: Creating Modern Scents for Your Space, success smells pretty sweet. P.F. Candle Co. started as a one-woman Etsy shop in Pumphrey’s spare bedroom in 2008 and has grown into an 80-person company with fragrance-focused products—candles, reed diffusers, room sprays, hand soaps, and body washes—sold worldwide, including at Urban Outfitters and Nordstrom, as well as the brand’s Echo Park flagship store. Here, the founders share why calling our region home makes sense.

We have lived in South Pasadena since 2019. It’s got that “small town in a big city” feel. Our daughter went to day care on the edge of Alhambra, so we spent a lot of time driving through the tree-lined streets of South Pasadena and found it so utterly charming, like out of a movie. / We live down the street from Jones Coffee Roasters on Mission. They roast all their own beans and have some of the best coffee in the area. / One of the best places in our neighborhood for breakfast is Cos&Pi. Our favorite things are the house-made “Spamwich” and the avocado fries. / KP: We are so lucky to have world-class hiking right in our backyard. I like the Echo Mountain Hike. Tom cycles a lot and the Pasadena area has some great options. If he’s feeling ambitious, he’ll ride up to the Angeles National Forest or down to the San Gabriel River Bike Trail. / The Huntington Gardens are a constant source of inspiration. The Herb Garden, with its healing plants, helped inspire a scent that’s coming out this January called Wild Herb Tonic. It’s a scent that’s all about bringing the soothing qualities of nature to indoor spaces, with notes of lemon balm, thyme, and fir. / Neighborhood bike shop TheCub House is a great spot to stop on a ride for a chat and some coffee. They’re all about community and making cycling inclusive. / We try to get to a flea market at least once a month—Pasadena City College Flea Market is walkable and there are so many great finds there. / The South Pasadena Farmers’ Market is a staple. We pick up local produce, fresh pasta, and baked goods, then hit up the food vendors for musubi, tamales, crepes, or BBQ. / Friday night is movie night at our house. We order takeout—pizza from Pitfire or Triple Beam, or dumplings and popcorn chicken from Dan Modern—light all the candles and watch a movie as a family.