Michael Kittredge House Tour 2025: Explore the Iconic Estate Now
Ever wondered what a candle empire can build? The story of Michael Kittredge’s mansion isn’t just about square footage—it’s about a kid from Massachusetts who turned melted crayons into a $500 million fortune and one of America’s most jaw-dropping private estates. While many celebrity homes catch our attention, few match the scale and luxury of Kittredge’s compound—even Warren Buffett’s house looks modest by comparison.
The Michael Kittredge Story
Born in 1952 in Holyoke, Massachusetts, Michael James Kittredge II started Yankee Candle Company as a teenager with a heartwarming DIY gift. Too broke to buy his mom a Christmas present, he melted some crayons to make her a candle. That simple act sparked what would become a scented empire.
What makes Kittredge’s story so captivating? He took a hobby and transformed it into a global brand that revolutionized the candle industry. By maximizing fragrance content in his products, he created an entirely new category of household items that consumers couldn’t get enough of.
His business savvy paid off big time in 1998 when he sold 90% of Yankee Candle for around $500 million. The company had grown to produce over 200,000 scented candles weekly with 35,000 store locations worldwide.
You Won’t Believe
The crown jewel of Kittredge’s success story sits on 60 acres in Leverett, Massachusetts. “Juggler Meadow” started as a modest $144,000 three-bedroom Colonial home purchased in 1984. What it became defies imagination.
The estate now features:
- 120,000 square feet of living space across eight separate structures
- 25,000 square feet main residence with 16 bedrooms and 25 bathrooms
- 11 fireplaces throughout the main house
- A nine-hole golf course (because why not?)
- Three tennis courts (one indoor with stadium seating)
- A concert hall where Hall & Oates and The Doobie Brothers have performed
- A full arcade and bowling alley
- Two climate-controlled car barns housing up to 60 vehicles
But the real showstopper? A 55,000-square-foot spa complex featuring multiple gyms, saunas, massage rooms, and an indoor water park modeled after the Bellagio in Las Vegas, complete with palm trees and water slides.
This isn’t just a house—it’s a private resort that makes celebrity mansions look like starter homes. Even Drake’s house, known for its opulence and flashy amenities, can’t match the sheer scale of Kittredge’s compound.
Parties, Philanthropy, and Family
Kittredge didn’t build this compound just to hoard his wealth. The estate regularly hosted Christmas dinners for 400 guests and numerous fundraisers and galas supporting his philanthropic causes.
His daughter Kylie, who grew up on the estate, describes her father as “an involved, creative, and generous parent” who wanted to give his children everything he didn’t have during his challenging childhood.
Christmas at the Kittredge estate was legendary. Imagine hundreds of guests gathering amid the glow of the world’s finest candles (obviously) while celebrating in spaces designed specifically for entertaining on a grand scale.
Inside the Ultimate Man Cave
Let’s talk about that water park again because it deserves its section. When most wealthy folks install a pool, Kittredge built an indoor tropical paradise complete with:
- Multiple swimming pools
- Water slides
- Lush palm trees
- An atmosphere that rivals Las Vegas luxury
The car collection space isn’t just a garage—it’s a museum-quality showroom for up to 60 vehicles, climate-controlled to preserve automotive perfection.
Need to work out? Skip the basic home gym and head to the comprehensive fitness complex with multiple specialized workout areas, saunas, and massage rooms. Feeling competitive? Challenge friends on the indoor tennis court with stadium seating or hit a few holes on your private golf course.
For entertainment, you could:
- Host a concert in your private venue
- Bowl a few frames in your alley
- Hit the arcade for some gaming
- Screen a movie in your theater
It’s not a home—it’s an adult playground built without financial constraints.
The Future of Juggler Meadow
What happens when a property is so extraordinary that finding a buyer becomes nearly impossible? You reimagine its purpose.
Following Kittredge’s death in 2019, his son Michael III listed the estate for $23 million in 2022. After two years with no serious buyers, the family partnered with developer Joshua Wallack to transform the property.
The plan? A groundbreaking $200 million redevelopment called “Pioneer Point at Juggler Meadow: A 55+ Active Adult Community.” This innovative project would preserve all eight buildings as amenity spaces while constructing 400 housing units around the existing structures.
As Wallack bluntly put it: “You’re not going to find a billionaire to come up and buy this house. We need to build a lifestyle community to use all of these amenities.”
The project aims to address Massachusetts’ housing crisis while ensuring a quarter of the units qualify as affordable housing. It’s expected to generate nearly $2 million in annual property tax revenue for Leverett and Amherst.
The Business Legacy
The path from simple candle-maker to owner of a $23 million estate wasn’t just luck. Kittredge pioneered the scented candle industry, recognizing consumer desire for home fragrance products long before it became a multi-billion-dollar market segment.
By the time he sold Yankee Candle in 1998, the company employed approximately 1,400 people in Western Massachusetts alone, with facilities in South Deerfield, Whately, and East Longmeadow.
After the sale, Kittredge didn’t just retire—he traveled extensively, visiting destinations from the Caribbean and Mediterranean to Alaska and Antarctica. His entrepreneurial spirit later reemerged when he co-founded Kringle Candle Company with his son Michael III in 2010.
Personal Life and Philanthropy
Kittredge’s personal life included three marriages (all ending in divorce) and three children: son Michael James Kittredge III (known as “Mick”) and daughters Kylie Madison and Casey Jean.
Beyond his business success, Kittredge was a devoted philanthropist whose legacy includes:
- The Kittredge Building at The Bement School in Deerfield
- The Kittredge Center at Holyoke Community College
- The Kittredge Surgical Center at Cooley-Dickinson Hospital
As a two-time cancer survivor, he became a staunch supporter of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. His connection to Holyoke Community College was particularly strong—he frequently stated, “Without HCC, there would be no YCC (Yankee Candle Company).”
The Maintenance Reality
Owning a property like Juggler Meadow isn’t just about the purchase price. The annual maintenance costs exceed $1.5 million, explaining why finding a buyer proved so challenging.
Experts estimate rebuilding the estate today would cost well over $50 million, with Mick Kittredge noting his father invested approximately $50 million in land acquisitions and renovations for Juggler Meadow alone.
The family’s financial portfolio extended beyond the main estate, including:
- A separate 10-acre parcel with an 8,500-square-foot home listed for $3.99 million
- An apple orchard is sold separately
- A Nantucket property that sold for $18 million in 2023
The American Dream
Kittredge’s journey represents the quintessential American Dream—starting from humble beginnings in South Hadley to building an extraordinary business empire through innovation and determination.
His educational path took him from Mater Dolorosa School in Holyoke to South Hadley High School, then Holyoke Community College, and finally the University of Massachusetts Amherst (which later awarded him an honorary Ph.D.).
Despite achieving tremendous wealth, Kittredge never forgot his roots. His daughter described his philosophy as living “life to the fullest,” a mindset reflected in both his business ventures and the extraordinary estate he created.
The Health Struggles Behind the Success
Not everything in Kittredge’s life was defined by success. He faced significant health challenges, including two battles with cancer and a devastating stroke in 2012 that impaired his speech and mobility.
These health struggles significantly impacted family dynamics and likely influenced his approach to creating a legacy both through his business achievements and his extraordinary estate.
Among Luxury Estates
What sets Juggler Meadow apart from other luxury properties isn’t just its size or amenities—it’s the story of transformation. From a modest Colonial to a compound that rivals any luxury resort, the estate physically manifests the American Dream.
Unlike properties built by old money or inherited wealth, Juggler Meadow represents first-generation success—the tangible result of entrepreneurship, innovation, and perseverance.
The estate’s future as a potential community development also distinguishes it from other luxury properties. Rather than sitting empty or being demolished, Juggler Meadow may continue to bring joy to hundreds of families, much as Kittredge intended when hosting his legendary gatherings.
Final Thoughts
Michael Kittredge’s story—from making a homemade candle for his mother to building a $23 million estate—continues to captivate and inspire. Whether through the preservation of his architectural vision or its transformation into a community development, his impact on Western Massachusetts will endure for generations.
The ongoing evolution of Juggler Meadow reflects the changing nature of luxury real estate and the creative solutions needed to address contemporary housing challenges. Just as Kittredge innovated in the candle industry, his estate may pioneer new approaches to luxury property development.
The ultimate question remains: What would you do with 120,000 square feet of luxury living space? For now, the answer involves creating housing for hundreds while preserving the extraordinary amenities that made Juggler Meadow legendary.
For pop culture enthusiasts and lifestyle connoisseurs, Michael Kittredge’s estate stands as a fascinating case study in how success can be transformed into an extraordinary legacy—one that continues to evolve long after its creator’s passing. While many wealthy business owners create impressive homes, few reach the level of Kittredge’s vision—not even Joel Osteen’s house comes close to this level of luxury and scale.
