Over ten years ago, Lee Rhodes received a candle as a gift from her husband to comfort her through multiple rounds of chemotherapy and radiation treatment for her lung cancer. As she gazed at the soothing present, the object sparked an idea. Rhodes thought others might also find relief through candlelight, and a company, Glassybaby, was born. Now San Franciscans can view the bright candy-colored glasses for themselves at the company’s new Presidio Heights boutique on Sacramento Street, its first outpost in California. The handmade holders are still crafted in Seattle, through a process that involves four artisans who expertly wield molten materials to produce each curved cup. Today, Rhodes has been cancer-free for over 10 years, and her company is now backed by investors including Jeff Bezos of Amazon. The shelves of Glassybaby boutiques, including the new San Francisco shop, are stocked with over 300 colors of glass, each with a unique shade named by Rhodes, and 10 percent of each sale goes to organizations that promote health, healing, and a better quality of life for cancer patients. Charities are selected based on programs established to support patients with basic daily needs that are often not covered by health insurance. “Individuality is part of our process,” says Rhodes, “The reason we hand-blow our glass candles is because each Glassybaby is completely unique. The same could be said for treating cancer. No two patients are the same.” In San Francisco, Rhodes’ company has partnered with UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay to help spread Glassybaby’s support to the Bay Area. To celebrate the new boutique, a candleholder called Kindness—rendered in opaque white glass—has been added to the line, and 10 percent of proceeds from the sale of the new shade go to Mission Bay patient programs. That’s one bright idea.

By Jennifer McCullum

 

Pictured: Hand-blown glass candle holders at Glassybaby in San Francisco.
Photo Credit: Susana Bates For Drew Altizer Photography

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