Photos courtesy Sue Brady
This spring, freshen up your home with some custom fragrances from Olfactory Scent Studio, which recently opened in The Shoppes at Arbor Lakes in Maple Grove. Owner Sue Brady, who spent the majority of her career as a microbiologist, always dreamed of owning her own shop, and a scent studio turned out to be the perfect fit for her scientific background. “I knew I wanted to switch gears once my children moved out and I became an empty nester, and I wanted an experiential place where people could come with their friends as an alternative to going out for coffee or to a bar or restaurant,” says Brady, whose shop features a custom blending bar where guests can create their own unique scents in the form of candles, diffusers, room and linen sprays, fragrance oils, wax tarts, and more.
With over 100 fragrances to choose from, you might not know where to start. But don’t worry—Brady and her staff are there to help you find the perfect combination. “I have customers write down some of their favorite scents first, and then we help them pick two or three that go well together,” says Brady, who shares some of her own favorite blends below.
- Coffee: Coffee bean, hazelnut, and whipped cream
- Mimosa: Champagne, mint leaf, and orange zest
- Minnesota Scents: Campfire, maple syrup, and pine needle
- Morning Dew: Bergamot, cucumber, and lavender
- Sea Vacation: Chardonnay, Hawaiian lei, and sea kelp