Welcome to Wildfire 🌿

We’re an eco-friendly boutique and gift shop with a little bit of everything! Unique birthday gifts, jewelry, clothing, home goods, self-care products, accessories, and sustainable finds for all kinds of occasions. 

Wildfire is also home to Blair County’s first refill shop, where you can bring your own containers and refill everyday essentials like dish soap, hand soap, laundry products, dishwasher pods, and more.

We find products that are beautiful, useful, thoughtfully made, and a little different from what you’ll find everywhere else. Most of all, Wildfire is a place where you can shop small, find something special, and feel good about what you bring home.

Hi, I’m Emily McCarty, owner of Wildfire in Downtown Altoona. 

At 19 years old, I registered for my business license and began brainstorming the logistics of my brick-and-mortar shop, Wildfire. To further my network and education, I attended events and seminars with the Blair County Chamber of Commerce, Altoona Launchbox, State College Launchbox, and Small Business Development Center. 

With a start-up cost of about $5,000, zero student or business loans, and nothing to lose, I opened the doors to Wildfire in October 2019. My business survived a nationwide shutdown just five months into the opening, and I'm still happily serving my community in my sixth year of entrepreneurship. 

Wildfire is committed to providing plastic-free, sustainable goods that help reduce your impact on our planet. I started off selling shampoo bars and bamboo toothbrushes to test the market and now, we offer over 50 different eco-friendly products– including, Altoona's first and only refillery, where you can bring your own container and fill up on home goods like dish soap, laundry powder, body wash, and more. 

I love the challenges and freedoms of owning a storefront at 27 years old and credit my success to my incredible mentor, who offers encouragement and wisdom in everything I do.

(Photo by Sarah Garber - Owner, The Clay Cup & Westfall Coffee Co.)