Riley’s Candles

Stuff We Love

By Craig Manning | Oct. 22, 2022

What do you call a dog who starts his own business? Doggypreneur? Riley the beagle is one such dog and the namesake of Riley’s Candles, a business “on a mission to save as many dogs who need emergency surgeries to save their lives as possible.” As Josh Hart (Riley’s human dad) tells the story, Riley is a 13-year-old beagle who has needed emergency back surgery three times over the course of his life to save him from paralysis. Those surgeries were extremely expensive, and Riley and his parents consistently encountered animals who “had to be put to rest” because of affordability concerns. Founded in 2017 with Riley as CBO, or “Chief Beagle Officer,” Riley’s Candles sells candles and donates proceeds to help save pets in similar situations. Previously based in Ferndale, Riley’s Candles recently relocated in northern Michigan where Riley and co. have joined 20Fathoms and are preparing to open a retail location in the Flat Cap Ventures building near Chums Corner. Follow along with their progress at rileyscandles.com.