Wild Birds Unlimited is a franchise business that specializes in products and solutions for backyard bird feeding enthusiasts. The company was founded in 1981 and has grown to over 300 stores across the United States and Canada.
Number of Wild Birds Unlimited Locations
According to the Wild Birds Unlimited website, as of October 2022, there are currently 308 Wild Birds Unlimited franchised locations in the United States. This includes 46 states and the District of Columbia. In Canada, there are 31 Wild Birds Unlimited stores, bringing the total number of locations to 339 across North America.
Here is a breakdown of the number of stores by state in the US:
| State | Number of Locations |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 5 |
| Alaska | 3 |
| Arizona | 11 |
| Arkansas | 4 |
| California | 26 |
| Colorado | 11 |
| Connecticut | 7 |
| Delaware | 3 |
| Florida | 19 |
| Georgia | 11 |
| Hawaii | 1 |
| Idaho | 2 |
| Illinois | 18 |
| Indiana | 11 |
| Iowa | 7 |
| Kansas | 7 |
| Kentucky | 7 |
| Louisiana | 7 |
| Maine | 3 |
| Maryland | 12 |
| Massachusetts | 13 |
| Michigan | 16 |
| Minnesota | 13 |
| Mississippi | 3 |
| Missouri | 7 |
| Montana | 1 |
| Nebraska | 3 |
| Nevada | 4 |
| New Hampshire | 5 |
| New Jersey | 16 |
| New Mexico | 3 |
| New York | 19 |
| North Carolina | 16 |
| North Dakota | 1 |
| Ohio | 19 |
| Oklahoma | 4 |
| Oregon | 7 |
| Pennsylvania | 22 |
| Rhode Island | 1 |
| South Carolina | 8 |
| South Dakota | 1 |
| Tennessee | 8 |
| Texas | 27 |
| Utah | 5 |
| Vermont | 1 |
| Virginia | 14 |
| Washington | 11 |
| West Virginia | 3 |
| Wisconsin | 10 |
| Wyoming | 1 |
So in total across the 46 states and Washington DC, there are 308 Wild Birds Unlimited locations. When combined with the 31 stores in Canada, the company has 339 retail stores across North America.
History of Wild Birds Unlimited’s Growth
Wild Birds Unlimited was founded in 1981 by Jim Carpenter who opened the very first Wild Birds Unlimited store in Indianapolis, Indiana. Jim was an avid birdwatcher who saw an opportunity to offer backyard bird feeding supplies and expertise to fellow birding enthusiasts.
The company slowly expanded over the next decade with about 50 stores by the early 1990s. But growth accelerated through franchising in the mid-1990s and 2000s. By 2005, there were about 220 Wild Birds Unlimited locations across the United States.
Expansion has continued over the last 10-15 years to surpass 300 stores nationwide. Wild Birds Unlimited opened its 300th US location in Lakewood Ranch, Florida in late 2018. The company has continued adding more stores since then.
International growth started in 2006 when Wild Birds Unlimited opened its first franchise location in Ontario, Canada. The number of Canadian stores has climbed to 31 today.
Here is a timeline showing how the number of Wild Birds Unlimited stores has increased over time:
| Year | Number of Locations |
|---|---|
| 1981 | 1 |
| 1985 | 12 |
| 1990 | 50 |
| 1995 | 100 |
| 2000 | 150 |
| 2005 | 220 |
| 2010 | 250 |
| 2015 | 285 |
| 2020 | 320 |
| 2022 | 339 |
So from the original 1 store in 1981, Wild Birds Unlimited has experienced steady growth over 4 decades to reach its current footprint of over 330 stores across the US and Canada.
Future Expansion Plans
Wild Birds Unlimited continues to expand as a franchise business model. While the company is not as openly promotional of its franchise opportunities compared to some other chains, they welcome prospective business owners interested in opening new Wild Birds Unlimited locations.
According to the Wild Birds Unlimited franchise website, the company is looking for franchisees passionate about bird feeding and committed to providing excellent customer service and wild bird expertise. The ideal candidate has business management experience and investment funds of $150,000 to $225,000 to open a new store.
Wild Birds Unlimited sees room for continued growth across North America and possibility for international expansion beyond Canada in the future. However, the company emphasizes a controlled franchise growth strategy focusing on the right franchise partners over rapid expansion.
In terms of domestic growth potential, Wild Birds Unlimited currently has no locations in Alaska, North Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming showing opportunity to expand in these states. Large states like California, Florida and Texas with over 25 stores already still have room for more locations in untapped markets.
The company also mentions on its franchise website that areas like the Northeast US have been identified as targets for expansion with the number of stores in these states still trailing the number of wild birding product consumers.
While Wild Birds Unlimited has not publicly stated a specific target number of stores they eventually hope to reach, continued growth of 10-20 new locations per year seems reasonable based on their franchise opportunities and past history. This gradual expansion approach could feasibly bring the number of stores to over 400 in the next 5-10 years.
Conclusion
In summary, Wild Birds Unlimited currently operates 339 retail locations total across the United States and Canada. The company has experienced steady franchised growth over the past 40 years since starting with 1 store in 1981, especially accelerating over the past 20 years to surpass 300 stores.
Wild Birds Unlimited plans to continue expansion across North America by partnering with qualified franchisees passionate about the wild bird industry. While the company hasn’t stated a target number of stores, gradual growth to 400+ locations seems achievable given the demand and interest in their products coupled with a focus on controlled franchise business model.
