Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Dankhoff
Hi Sarah, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
The shop started as a dream many years ago and took life in the heart of Hamilton, Ohio in August 2019. With a nudge from my husband Kyle, I opened Wildfire when our son Grayson, was four months old. He has grown up in the shop, and now Georgia is doing the same. We proudly employee a team of six local women who make this dream work.
I love gifts and decor with inspirational messages – the pieces in your home that make you stop and remember why life is so good and reignite the passions and purpose inside of you. My goal with the shop is to celebrate feeling of “hygge” in a tangible way through our products and through the shop experience. Hygge roughly translates to “cozy” but truthfully, I think gratitude is the better translation.
I want everything Wildfire creates to be seeped in gratitude. When our customers think of the places and people they are most grateful for, I hope they think of Wildfire when it comes to gifting to those people and and filling the homes and spaces that are most dear to them.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Wildfire opened seven months before Covid, so it absolutely has not been a smooth road. I look back and see that I learned by fire – no pun intended. I don’t have a business background or accolades that most believe equip someone to open a business. I am just a girl with a dream and a whole lot of grit. I learned many lessons the hard way and with my livelihood on the line. I don’t wish to relive those years, but I know they made me a stronger and more resilient business owner.
The economic instability have been the hardest waves to ride since opening. It requires small business to stay agile and pivot along the way. But I do it, even on the hard days and months, because I believe in Wildfire.
Our world can be harsh and fast paced so more than ever, our communities need the spaces that small businesses create where patrons can be welcomed by a friendly face and take a much needed break from their everyday. It is the coffee shops, bookstores, and small shops in our towns that connect us with one another and remind us of the magic that comes with lingering rather than producing. Wildfire is just one small little shop in a sea of many providing that here in Hamilton. We are little but mighty.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Wildfire Hygge Goods?
Wildfire Hygge Goods is a boutique in downtown Hamilton, Ohio. We are known for home decor, but also carry gifts and apparel. We stock gifts and decor with inspirational messages – the pieces in your home and everyday that make you stop and remember why life is so good and reignite the passions and purpose inside of you. The shop is brimming with high-quality gifts that will truly delight the person who receives it. When it comes to our “sweet spot” of home decor, we provide home goods that will become heirlooms in your family – fit to stand the test of time because of their quality and an aesthetic that will feel classic through the decades.
When it comes to the people you love most, we carry gifts worthy of them! And when it comes to the home you love and serves as a safe haven from our fast paced world, we have decor that worthy of the place you call home.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I was a firecracker growing up. As a girl and especially as a teenager, I felt like a bull in a china shop wielding this personality of mine – especially as a woman. I’ve always been deep and inquisitive – and struggled to slow my thoughts. I was raised by a mom who encouraged me to trust my gut and follow my passions. In retrospect, these are all good things for little girls to hold, but it felt like a lot growing up and learning how to refine my loud qualities.
Growing up, I played sports and spent my summers at the local pool. I was always working or playing sports – which built my work ethic and encouraged me to truly enjoy work. Looking back, there were a few signs of where I’d end up… I collected Martha Stewart magazines and would recreate her crafts in my free time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.wildfirehamilton.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildfirehyggegoods
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildfirehyggegoods
