Get All Access for $5/mo

Yankee Candle Founder's $23 Million Estate Comes with an Indoor Water Park and Two 'Car Barns' The 120,000-square-foot compound is for sale in Massachusetts.

By Jonathan Small

The estate of the founder of Yankee Candle Company is for sale. And it's lit.

According to Zillow Gone Wild, Michael Kittredge III is selling his family home in Leverett, Massachusetts, for $23 Million. The 120,000-square-foot monstrosity consists of eight structures spread out over 60 acres.

The house that Yankee Candle built has 16 bedrooms, 11 fireplaces, several guest houses, two car "barns," four tennis courts, a 9-hole golf course, an arcade, an indoor pool, and a full-size auditorium.

"No expense was spared in the design and building of this compound," reads the listing on real estate company Douglas Elliman's website.

And build it, they did. The original home was a modest three-bedroom Colonial that Kitteredge's parents bought for $144,000 in 1984. But as the success of Yankee Candle Co grew, so did the house.

"My dad built this place for his family, because he was very poor growing up," Kitteredge told the Wall Street Journal. "He really wanted to be able to give his kids and his family a lifestyle he never dreamed of having."

Related: NYC Woman Falls for $19 Million Penthouse Scam, Slams Corcoran Group With Lawsuit

It's hard to determine the coolest feature of the estate, but let's start with the 55,000-square-foot spa and indoor water park. Inspired by the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas, it has a waterfall, slides, and lagoons.

Then, there are the so-called "car barns," which can accommodate an estimated 80 vehicles.

If sports are your thing, you might want to hit some balls on the luxurious tennis courts or bowl a few frames in the bowling alley.

Are you more of a gamer? Check out the estate's fully-stocked game arcade.

The living quarters are fit for royalty.

"It was like having Disneyland in the backyard," Kittredge recalls.

Jonathan Small

Entrepreneur Staff

Founder, Strike Fire Productions

Jonathan Small is a bestselling author, journalist, producer, and podcast host. For 25 years, he has worked as a sought-after storyteller for top media companies such as The New York Times, Hearst, Entrepreneur, and Condé Nast. He has held executive roles at Glamour, Fitness, and Entrepreneur and regularly contributes to The New York Times, TV Guide, Cosmo, Details, Maxim, and Good Housekeeping. He is the former “Jake” advice columnist for Glamour magazine and the “Guy Guru” at Cosmo.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Thought Leaders

America is Becoming the Land of Inequality and Diminishing Returns. Here's Why.

Earning six figures is no longer as impressive as it once was. This is the birth of America's dual economy.

Employee Experience & Recruiting

Free Webinar | October 10: Best Practice Strategies for Seasonal Staffing

Is your business prepared to capitalize on a busy holiday season? In our upcoming webinar, Scott Greenberg, award-winning franchise owner, will share his expertise on how to effectively recruit, onboard, and retain seasonal staff. Register now!

Side Hustle

The Side Hustle She Started in a High School Locker Room Hit Multimillion-Dollar Revenue — and Taylor Swift Is a Fan: 'Invest in Yourself'

Elena Bonvicini, now 25, was inspired to start her side hustle during a 2016 visit to her grandparents in Wisconsin.

Business News

Mark Zuckerberg Uses an Easy But Powerful Formula to Keep Facebook Relevant — Here's How It Works

Zuckerberg says Meta never thought small, even in the early days when it was just Facebook.

Starting a Business

Crack the Chicken-and-Egg Dilemma — How Startups Can Thrive Against the Odds

Focus on one side of your marketplace first, build value for sellers or buyers and the other side will follow.