Daughter of Yankee Candle founder shares what it was like to grow up in a $23 million compound

The daughter of the Yankee Candle founder has revealed what it was like growing up in a $23 million mansion that came complete with its very own indoor waterpark – explaining that the property was so large, the family had to use golf carts to get around and a paging system to contact each other. 

Kylie Kittredge, 19, grew up in a $23 million estate in Leverett, Massachusetts, that was owned by the late Yankee owner Michael Kittredge, who passed away in July 2019 at the age of 67 due to health problems. 

After his death, the family cut ties to the candle giant and listed their sprawling 120,000 square feet mansion, known as Juggler Meadow, and when the listing went live, Kylie decided to detail her experience growing up in a mansion many would only dream of. 

The 120,000 square feet mansion, known as Juggler Meadow sits in Massachusetts and was owned by the late Yankee founder Mr. Kittredge, who passed away in 2019 at the age of 67 due to health problems

The home was a hot spot for entertainment and even had an indoor water park that was inspired by the Bellagio in Las Vegas, the water park boasts a pool, slides, waterfalls, and plenty of palm trees

‘My childhood home went on the market and there’s been a lot of attention and questions about this new listing,’ Kylie said before adding that there were many ‘happy memories’ attached to the home (Kylie pictured as a child with her family)

‘So a couple of days ago, my childhood home went on the market and there’s been a lot of attention and questions about this new listing,’ she said before adding that there were many ‘happy memories’ attached to the home.

With 16 bedrooms, 13 bathrooms and 12 half-baths, the mansion puts country clubs to shame and even comes complete with its very own outdoor pool, four tennis courts, nine-hole golf course, bowling alley, arcade, basketball court, and indoor water park. 

Speaking of the bowling alley, Kylie said: ‘It was once in a blue moon that we would use it, whether it was with friends or my sister and I would rally our parents to play.’  

And since the home was spread across eight structures, she added: ‘Golf carts were our main mode of transportation, I was driving a golf cart at age five by myself.

‘Because the property was so big and smartphones weren’t as widely used when I was younger, we had a paging system across the whole property so if you needed someone you would just page them and everyone would hear it.’ 

The indoor water pool or water park as many called it, was said to be the most jaw-dropping area of the home and the daughter noted that it became a hot spot for parties, including her The Little Mermaid themed fourth birthday party. 

The Yankee Candle founder took his entertainment seriously and didn’t spare any expense when designing the mansion’s many amenities; the arcade is filled with pinball machines, slots, and skee-ball, and there is also a billiard room

Kylie explained the family had a massive holiday party every year and her dad eve made them throw snow around when she was a child. She added that her father loved hosting parties and dancing (Mr. and Mrs. Kittredge pictured right)

She showed viewers that her dad was really into cars and had her pick which car he’d drive her to school in (Kylie pictured as a child left). Kylie even showed off her childhood bedroom, which looks like it was made for a princess

The kitchen is a chef’s dream with a total of five islands for food prep. There is also a commercial kitchen with seven sinks on the lower level

Mr. Kittredge (pictured) grew up just 15 miles away from Leverette in South Hadley, Massachusetts

Inspired by the Bellagio in Las Vegas, the water park boasts a pool, slides, waterfalls, and plenty of palm trees. 

And the parties weren’t just held at their water park, according to Kylie the lavish family threw ‘major’ parties for Christmas. 

She explained they had a ‘three-story-tall’ Christmas tree that she said would ‘make the whole house smell so good’ and added the tree was decorated with ornaments chosen for the various theme each year, noting ‘everything had to go with everything.’ 

‘We had a massive holiday party every year with about 350 of our friends that usually entailed dinner, dancing, and some form of musical entertainment — Hall & Oates is an example of one of the entertainers one year.’ 

She added that at a particular party her dad ‘really wanted fake snow,’ so she and her cousins ‘got to run around, tossing it everywhere.’ 

The Yankee Candle founder took his entertainment seriously and didn’t spare any expense when designing the mansion’s many amenities. 

In the late 1990s, he commissioned a 55,000-square-foot spa building that holds a 4,000-square-foot-gym, massage treatment rooms, a three-lane bowling alley, and other perks. 

Of the spa’s four tennis courts there are three outdoor courts — one grass and two clay with lighting for night games — and one indoor court with seating for spectators. 

The Colonial main house was completed in 2010 and has six bedrooms, four dining rooms, and 11 fireplaces to keep guests cozy in the winter

The three-story great room is flanked by two second-floor balconies featuring built-in bookshelves

The house was so large that the family had to drive around in golf carts and use a paging system to get ahold of each other, according to Kylie (Kylie, her sister, brother, mom and dad pictured) 

Other standout features in the main house include a 10-seat theater and not one but two wine cellars

The arcade is filled with pinball machines, slots, and skee-ball, and there is also a billiard room. 

The property, located about two hours outside of Boston, even includes two ‘car barns’. 

Kylie explained that her dad was a ‘huge car collector’ and would often let her choose which car he’d drive her to school in as a child. 

‘I wish I appreciated it more,’ she said, ‘because I miss him and him driving me to school.’

In an interview with Insider, Kylie said she kept her lavish lifestyle ;very private’ growing up. 

‘I wanted it to be a space that my closest friends could come to and hang out, but I didn’t wanna publicly advertise it,’ she said. 

The family had many on-sight employees including chefs, which Kylie said were like ‘family.’ 

‘Our employees had a family feel, and it was special. Those were the people that also raised me. There were a lot of people involved in my childhood, and I wouldn’t change it.’ 

Kittredge II also had an actual oval office built on the property, which started as a three-bedroom Colonial that he bought for $144,000 in 1984

The three-lane bowling alley is the perfect place to cut loose with friends while hanging out on the property 

Of the spa’s four tennis courts there are three outdoor courts – one grass and two clay with lighting for night games – and one indoor court with spectator seating

Of the spa’s four tennis courts there are three outdoor courts – one grass and two clay with lighting for night games – and one indoor court with spectator seating

Yankee Candle Company began when Mr. Kittredge was just 16 years old. 

The late candle company founder couldn’t afford to buy his mother a Christmas present so he decided to make one by melting crayons on the stove to create a candle. 

A neighbor later asked to purchase the candle instead, so Mr. Kittredge bought ‘enough wax to make two candles – one for his mother, and one to sell,’ according to Greenfield Recorder and began what one day would become Yankee Candle. 

The scented candles took the giftware marketplace by storm and the young entrepreneur grew the business to a major international manufacturer and retailer. 

By 1983 the company made its first $1 million in sales. 

The Yankee Candle founder’s massive estate started off as a three-bedroom Colonial that he bought for $144,000 in 1984, The Wall Street Journal reported. 

The home sat on 1.84 acres, but he continued to scoop up neighboring properties to build a compound of more than 100 acres.

Kittredge II founded Yankee Candle from his family’s home at Christmastime in 1969 when he was just 16 years old. He melted crayons to make his mother a candle because he was ‘too broke’ to buy her a present

Kittredge II sold 90 percent of Yankee Candle in 1998 for about $500 million and retired, but soo faced many health problems 

Kittredge II’s scented candles took the giftware marketplace by storm and the young entrepreneur grew the business to a major international manufacturer and retailer. By 1983 the company made its first $1 million in sales

And although her dad was the founder of the candle giant she explained that the family didn’t have ‘many candles burning’ at all times. 

‘It’s a living space,’ she told Insider. ‘We don’t want to have a million different scents hitting you as soon as you walk in. It was more minimal — one candle here and there.’

Kylie’s brother and senior by 13 years, Michael Kittredge III or Mick, told the local paper that he wanted his father to be remembered as the ‘epitome of the American Dream and rags to riches.’ 

He explained that his dad ‘had a tough childhood’ and ‘wanted to give everybody else everything he didn’t have as a kid growing up.’

Kylie told Insider that her dad ‘wanted to live life to the fullest, and that’s what he did.’ 

Mick listed the family estate up for sale in early September.

Real estate agent Johnny Hatem Jr. of Douglas Elliman holds the listing. 

In addition, to the 60-acre compound, the family is selling an 8,500-square-foot home with a guesthouse that sits on roughly 10 acres, which is listed separately for $3.99 million. Another parcel of land with an apple orchard is also being sold separately.