Storied Scents: The Co-Founders Behind the Fragrances at Ranger Station

Steve and Jordan Soderholm are the husband-and-wife duo behind Ranger Station, a Nashville-based fragrance studio established in 2015. 

Jordan, a fashion major, and Steve, a musician, crossed paths while studying at Belmont University. While both went on to fulfill childhood dreams in the fashion and music industries, the pair eventually found themselves in an even more creative — if unexpected — space than they had dreamed. 

When not on the road as a drummer, Steve loved having friends over and always burned candles; he felt it set the tone for an incredible night with friends. On a whim one day — when he ran out of candles and had more time than money — Steve tried his hand at making his own. Finding a process that ignited his creativity, Steve fell in love with fragrance and “olfactory storytelling.”

Steve and Jordan built Ranger Station from an unexpected dream and a simple, original idea: one candle, poured into one reusable cocktail glass. Today, the Soderholms will pour the scent — if you pour the spirit — and this model allows customers to appreciate their own “cheers” moments with friends. 

What did you initially want to be when you grew up?

J: I wanted to be in fashion, and Steve wanted to be a drummer. 

How did you go about learning the craft of scent blending and “olfactory storytelling?”

S: Trial and — let’s be honest — mostly error in the beginning. I am a self-taught perfumer, and I have no classical training. This has been a huge benefit because I’ve never been constrained by the guardrails of what “should” and “shouldn’t” work; I’ve probably made scents that — in theory — should not have worked at all, which turned out incredibly well. 

I’ve discovered that different raw materials evoke certain emotions, transporting us to different places. Once I have chosen the raw materials, it’s all about getting those facets to play nice with each other within the story I want the fragrance to tell.

What’s your favorite or most unexpected scent to use?

S: My favorite materials are woods and musks — they have a warm, dark character — but recently, I’ve been creating features like ‘The DARK’ with pink peppercorn. Somehow, it’s simultaneously smokey, sharp and bright, and I have never found anything like it.

Is there any part of Ranger Station’s storefront experience you’re particularly proud of?

J: We want the experience to be inspiring, warm and welcoming. Our product speaks for itself, so I wanted the space to be very product-forward, but Ranger Station is — to us — an extension of our home as well. When people come to visit our house, we tell them to sit down as we mix them a cocktail.

Similarly, we wanted a space where people feel comfortable, like they could sit down and stay a while. Customers experience our scents — organized from freshest to darkest — at a scent bar in the middle of the room, though it can move to become a working bar during events.

What’s your favorite restaurant in town or favorite go-to place for a night out?

J: When we have a night out, we always go to the bar at City House. We love the bartenders there and the new things they pour! City House feels like a place you can come as you are — whether it’s after a long week or for a big celebration with friends.

S: Shout-out to Ramy and Camille at the City House Bar! Camille commented on a fragrance I was testing once and has since become one of our testers. When we go to City House, I usually bring them something new that I’m working on.

What does the future hold for Ranger Station?

J: Expect us to lean into our musical roots more — whether that’s through more musician partnerships or musical experiences that we put together. And we definitely want more in-person touchpoints, whether that looks like more retail stores or new ways to experience Ranger Station in the future.

What else do you love to discuss?

S: The science behind smell! In a lot of ways, this can be a person’s strongest sense. Of all five sensory faculties, smell is the only one tied directly to a brain’s centers of memory, experience and emotion. Brains don’t have to process much when we smell, which is why this sense has a crucial part in creating and remembering experiences.

When we walk into a room, the smell is the first thing our brain notices — whether we are conscious of that or not. The fragrance sets the tone for the whole experience that we have in a place, and scented experiences will truly be more fully remembered. 

What legacy would you like to leave in this community?

S: “Die with memories, not dreams.” Ranger Station facilitates the creation of vivid and incredible memories in daily life, so we want to be known as storytellers.