By Carol Fisher-Linn
Roaming Wild doesn’t mean you have to be outdoors: There is a new bright light in our dazzling village….
In 2022, Ellicottville was listed as one of the “11 Small Towns in Rural New York That Are Downright Delightful” in the online monthly, Only in New York State. We truly are a beacon in a world that has its growing share of dark spots. People come to Ellicottville to unwind, to recharge, to get back in touch with themselves or others. They come to relax, to test their metal, to commune with nature and with old friends. Some love to unwind, or shift gears, by wandering about and shopping in our wonderful and unique retail establishments which offer practically anything you need, particularly when it comes to finding unusual gifts in this upcoming gift-giving season.
Enter Wild Roamer, an adventuresome new shop on the brink of opening its doors in the old Purple Doorknob location on Monroe Street. The person opening the shop is Carrie Lynch who grew up in Marilla, moved to Forestville and now lives in Leon. Some businesswomen in the area may know Carrie as the pre-Covid founder of Boss Babes, a women’s business networking group. Carrie hosted an event at EBC and is friends with many people in the village and town. So, maybe kinda-sorta-a-bit-like-an-almost-local? And we Ellicottvillians always support our locals, now, don’t we?
So, for ten years, Wild Roamer inhabited a small studio at Carrie’s home, and was a pop-up of sorts, appearing online, at small shops and local shows, including Fall Fest in Ellicottville. Yep, even in the hard rain this past Fest. A friend, Sam Nelson, offered Carrie the perfect opportunity when Sam’s husband, John, changed the location of his law office, which had been in that building. Now, after ten years of popping up and living online, this “started with $50 at a kitchen table dream” is materializing into a brick-and-mortar location where we all can enjoy the adventuresome mountaineering ambiance of the shop, and find the perfect hand-screened tee-shirts, printed with eco-friendly, water-based ink, keeping them soft and cozy. Frankly, in our conversation, Carrie had me at “eco-friendly,” but, truly, you will find your own adventure when you walk through the doors of Wild Roamer.
The online presence of Wild Roamer sells apparel to over 150 boutiques across the United States. Found at wildroamer.shop, one finds Wild Roamer designed tees, scarves, mugs, pet needs, and a whole host of vintage items sourced and curated by Dani, Carrie’s partner.
Basically, the overall vibe of the store is this: women owned business, supporting nature and parks, outdoor camping, Smokey the Bear, vintage Coleman items (think mountain camping in the 80’s).
Carrie is a full time Public Relations Specialist for Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES so for now, the shop will be opened Thursdays through Sundays, 11am -5pm. They plan a soft opening for Friday-Sunday, November 10 – 12th, then will re-open on Thursday, November 17th, with a Grand opening on November 18th and 19th. An official ribbon cutting, complete with dignitaries, is scheduled for 10am on Saturday, the 18th.
You can find Wild Roamer November 2-5 at Christmas in the Country at the Hamburg Fairgrounds, November 24-26 at the Makers and Shakers event at Buffalo’s event center – The Powerhouse, 140 Lee Steet in Buffalo, and at a November 25 event – Buffalo Women’s Gifts – at Babeville located at Delaware Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church, 341 Delaware Avenue.
Once they get established, Carrie plans to offer private events: Silk screening classes, printing parties (print your own logos, etc.) along with snacks, etc. Visit and shop now and stay tuned.
Mark your calendars. They can’t wait to see you! #ellicottville #ellicottvilleny #comingsoon #trending #wildroamer #adventure #adventureshop #shopsmall #visitellicotville