'Shejni's Candle Shop'/ The art of candles in the 'heart' of Korça

2025-06-17 14:59:00, Qyteti im CNA

'Shejni's Candle Shop'/ The art of candles in the

In the heart of Korça's characteristic bazaar, a small but colorful and fragrant shop brings a special innovation to the city, the artisanal processing of natural candles with bioorganic aromas. Shejni's Candle Shop is one of the few in Albania that offers this unique experience, bringing a rare art in a contemporary and refined form.

Behind this business that is gaining more and more attention, stands Jorida Koçibelli, a lecturer at the Faculty of Economics at the “Fan Noli” University of Korça for a decade. Alongside her academic profession, she has quietly nurtured a passion that dates back to childhood, the art of candle making. The name “Shejni” was not chosen by chance. It carries with it Jorida’s greatest love, her daughter, from whom the store takes its name. After many efforts, she decided to turn this passion into a real project, combining creativity, patience and dedication.

"Shejni's Candle Shop" is one of the first shops in Albania to process candles naturally and using bioorganic fragrances. It is a childhood passion and was realized in the best form with the most diverse candle models," says Koçibelli.

Shejni's Candle Shop candles are made entirely naturally, mainly based on soy, an ecological ingredient that requires specific conditions and special care to maintain quality. The production process requires controlled temperatures and careful mixing with selected fragrances, ensuring that each product has the right consistency and intensity of fragrance.

"Candle processing is a difficult process. You see them in their best and most beautiful form, but you want the temperature to be static. You have to be very careful in the processing of the candle, also when mixing with the fragrance. Everything has to be concentrated and the temperature has to be at the level required by the candle, especially the natural soy candle, which we process," says Koçibelli.

'Shejni's Candle Shop'/ The art of candles in the

The store offers a variety of designs, ranging from decorative bouquets with candles and dried flowers, suitable for gifts or events, to elegant glass compositions that are used as decorative elements and create a warm atmosphere. Each product is handmade and with extraordinary attention to detail.

"As you can see, at Shejni's Candle Shop there are many candle products that are made with a lot of love and care. You can find different models, flower compositions which are the best-selling products, but also different models of shapes which are taken for different parties and events," says Jorida.

The interest in these products has crossed the borders of the city of Korça. Shejni's Candle Shop now has numerous clients throughout Albania, with continuous requests from Tirana, Elbasan and other cities, but also from rural areas that are increasingly embracing this type of modern handicraft.

"We actually have customers in the store all over Albania, not just in the city or region of Korça. They have very different preferences, but the candle-made bouquets are also selected with great love, they are among the best-selling products. Also, the glass compositions, selected to be fire-resistant, are among the best-selling compositions. Shejni's customers are spread all over Albania, we have more customers from Tirana, Elbasan. Almost all the different cities and provinces, so there is no difference, even rural areas have now become part of our customers", said Koçibelli.

'Shejni's Candle Shop'/ The art of candles in the

The reviews for this initiative have been positive and enthusiastic. People see Shejni's Candle Shop as a store that brings something new and qualitative to the Albanian market, putting it in line with European standards. What distinguishes this store the most is the aroma that is worked inside the candle, a technique that preserves freshness and intensity for longer, offering a completely different experience for the user.

"The impressions have been truly impressive. Everyone who comes really congratulates me on this initiative that is so beautiful and difficult at the same time. It is something new because even in European countries you cannot find a proper candle shop, let alone a natural candle, which is so special to us," said Koçibelli.

With a wide range of scents, from traditional vanilla and cinnamon, to more unique notes like strawberry, pistachio or bohemian rose, Shejni's Candle Shop is becoming a brand known for the quality, originality and passion it conveys. An inspiring model for those who want to combine dream with work, and who give life to the city through an art form that is as unique as it is elegant.

"In fact, we process the scent. It's not like it happens in other handmade products, but the scent is worked together with the candle and what I emphasized a little earlier, the temperature must be fixed because otherwise the right combination is not achieved or the scent lasts as long as possible. The most used scents are sweet scents like strawberry, pistachio and then come bohemian scents, fresh cut or rose scent. The traditional scents are vanilla cinnamon, so there is a wide range of them," said Koçibelli.

Shejni's Candle Shop is proof that when passion meets dedication, values ??are created that inspire a community. Through her work, Jorida Koçibelli has not simply brought a new product to the market, but has built a space where art, nature and sensations harmonize. In the heart of Korça, this shop is not just a place where candles are produced, but a symbol of the courage to follow dreams and give life to an idea that shines brighter than any light./CNA