What started as a way for a stay‑at‑home mom in Prestonsburg to keep her hands busy has evolved into a downtown business anchor. Today, Wildfire Designs is a model for how small‑town entrepreneurs can build up community.
Owner Brittany Hale, born and raised in Floyd County, is proud to continue her family’s legacy as a fourth-generation small business owner. In 2015, she was a stay-at-home mom looking for something meaningful to pour her energy into as her kid got older. She began crafting jewelry made from bullets. One request led to another, and soon Brittany was traveling to weekend festivals, building a customer base one conversation at a time. People began asking her if you could do this, or that, with her designs.
“If a customer asks for something, I always say ‘I’ll try,’” Brittany said.
That willingness soon opened the door to clothing, gifts, and home goods, eventually leading to the beloved downtown storefront which is celebrating its 9th year.
“People think owning a small business is easy, but I take my work home every night. You can’t just clock out and not think about it. You have to make sure payroll is done, and that you’ve ordered this and ordered that. It’s never-ending, but I love what I do. I love being able to be here in Prestonsburg and to provide this to the area.”
Wildfire Designs has become a go-to spot for last-minute gifts, new arrivals, and holiday shopping. Brittany began working with the Mountain Association’s Lending Team when she needed to double her inventory to meet growing community demand around the holidays. Today, Brittany employs six part-time workers, including four students.
“When you start your first job, you develop a lot of experience you wouldn’t otherwise get exposed to. The students have learned inventory, customer service, and what it takes to run a business. I’ve also taught a lot of them how to mop for the first time,” Brittany added with a laugh.
Upstairs from the boutique sits the sister company, High Voltage Printing, owned by Brittany’s husband, Sam. Born out of necessity during COVID when Brittany was experiencing shipping delays and rising costs, High Voltage has grown into a thriving screen-printing operation. With help from the Mountain Association, Sam secured funding to purchase equipment. Today, High Voltage supplies apparel directly to local schools, sports teams, and businesses.
“Just being able to throw a box of shirts downstairs to us instead of paying freight, it makes a big difference in costs.”
The couple’s impact doesn’t stop at their storefronts. Community service is key to how they operate. From hosting donation drives for things like brooms and dehumidifiers after floods, to supporting the “Fans to Kids” event for Floyd County children in the summer, Brittany and Sam try to plan at least one thing a year to give back. They are also active in Prestonsburg’s Downtown Business Merchants group where local business owners collaborate and look after each other. For example, Wildfire Designs participates in scavenger hunts, discount card programs, and other events to bring people downtown and remind people that money spent here stays here.
“Anything we can do to help—we want the community to grow. When we work together, everything gets better,” Brittany said. “We’re also grateful for the support from Jeni and Robert from Mountain Association. They see what we see for our town.”
Brittany and Sam also own an Airbnb in town, and have redeveloped a building for future commercial use, creating new opportunities in the heart of Prestonsburg. One space just became available for rent, opening the door for even more growth in the Eastern Kentucky’s Star City.
