How did Ohana by Abby candles begin and how would you describe your range of products?

Ohana by Abby was born out of Covid-19 lockdowns while running a café and looking for a side income while saving for our wedding. I missed my family in Ballarat so much during the horrific lockdowns, so I named the brand Ohana by Abby after the movie Lilo & Stitch. There’s a quote that says “Ohana means family, and family means no-one gets left behind”. My mum has always been a huge supporter and she played a major role in progressing Ohana by Abby.

Ohana by Abby candles are designed with scents that we have always adored and burned in our own home. On our little arched shelf we have candles priced from $15 to our $85 one kilo triple
wick candles.

The scents vary seasonally, depending on what works best in your spaces at that time of year and we always burn stock in store so you can really get a feel for them. We also make dried flower bunches and sell diffusers, which are perfect if you don’t want an open flame in your home. Some of our favourite scents include Black Raspberry & Vanilla, Ballarat Bushland, Ohana Calm and the cult favourite – Japanese Honeysuckle (this one is the reason I started making candles). We offer free gift wrapping and have gift vouchers available for anyone who may like to choose their own, as well as candle accessories such as Flint candle lighters.

What do you like most about the location of The Pavement Society?

The location of TPS means we are strategically placed with very easy parking, and provide a quick on-the-go option right on Main Road in Boolaroo. It’s super close to Costco for supplies, and we support the local SPAR and the surrounding shops as a little hub. We saw a lot of development occurring in the area and thought it was the perfect spot for a hole-in-the-wall style café.

We are firm believers in ‘what goes around comes around’ and that good karma really does exist. We love our community here at Boolaroo.

What’s on the menu in terms of bites to eat?

We rotate a selection of specialty curated sandwiches and freshly delivered pastries from Snows Patisserie and Bob and Pete’s from the Central Coast. We use ham and smoked specialty pastrami from our local butcher in Teralba, and have a great relationship with them.

Currently we have my favourite toastie – “Cousin Reuben” – named after a customer’s cousin, Reuben! We like to name some of our toasties and plants after our customers which is a real hit with the regulars.