In 1905, Mabel Kimball, a New England schoolteacher and entrepreneur, began to make candles from the bayberries on Cape Cod. Her initial goal was simply to make bayberry candles for her friends and family as Christmas gifts. Her friends loved them and insisted that she make more.
In 1907, Mabel married Walter D. Baker, the owner of a Hyannis department store. That year, she offered her bayberry candles for sale in Walter's store. Within a year, several other stores on Cape Cod were also selling Mabel Baker's candles. By 1910, the fame of her candles reached Boston, and one of the largest stores there purchased her entire supply of candles that year.
Mabel's business grew and flourished for years as Colonial Candle of Cape Cod. In 1973, Colonial Candle of Cape Cod set up PartyLite Gifts, Inc. to sell excess inventory of candles from their factory and gift shop. A unique profit plan was established for the Consultants who would sell the candles. The plan offered cash incentives for not only selling the candles, but also for bringing in new sellers and developing their potential. The no-risk, people-oriented career plan took off. Since then, sales have grown dramatically and Consultants world-wide have found fine income potential in the PartyLite plan.
In 1990, Blyth, Inc. acquired both Colonial Candle of Cape Cod and PartyLite. Under the leadership of Bob Goergen, Chairman, CEO and President, Blyth believed in and invested in PartyLite, playing a key role in supporting their phenomenal domestic and international growth. Today, PartyLite's candles, fragrance options and home accents are sold by more than 50,000 Consultants worldwide.
