B-Sides: Old Machines, New Ideas

Some of my favorite childhood memories are from shopping plazas like Ames, Bradley, Caldor, and Toys “R” Us. I loved stopping at the vending machines, dropping in a quarter or two, and seeing what came out: a gumball, a toy, a sticker. There was a little anticipation in turning that knob.

Years later, when I lived in Connecticut, I’d still see old cigarette machines in bars. They had a presence and character you don’t come across much anymore. I kept thinking about those machines until I finally found one I could bring home.

It was in good shape, but dirty and in need of work. I took it apart, sanded it down, repainted it, added new labels and designs, replaced the glass with tempered glass, and brought the lighting up to date. Along the way, I got to learn new skills and build parts of the experience myself.

Now I’m giving these machines a new purpose: introducing people to Love Square One through products inspired by fragrance. The B-Sides sticker machine brings air fresheners to pop-up events. The restored cigarette machine is being adapted to vend Love Square One products, with a phone-based checkout and a mechanism I’ve built for it.

B-Sides is part of Love Square One, not a separate business. Joanna makes our candles, wax melts, diffusers, and room sprays; I engrave and build. This project gives me a place to explore ideas, try new formats, and bring our fragrances to people in surprising ways.

The name “B-Sides” is about experimentation. We can test a seasonal scent, a small batch, or a new product idea and see how people respond. If it finds an audience, it might become a bigger part of Love Square One. If it doesn’t, we learn and move on to the next idea.

I hope these machines bring back a little nostalgia—and make people excited to see something old made new again.

The B-Sides sticker machine will be available at pop-up events. The cigarette machine is coming soon.

- Anthony