Wild Birds Unlimited In California Has Record Memorial Day Sales

An article in Contra Costa Times features a Wild Birds Unlimited that had record sales over Memorial Day Weekend. Here's an excerpt:

"And if you thought the pet industry stopped at your fence line, you haven't been to Wild Birds Unlimited, a chain of more than 270 franchises throughout the country that cater to feeding wild birds, the second-most popular hobby next to gardening.

In Pleasant Hill, Mike Williams owns the Wild Birds Unlimited franchise on Contra Costa Boulevard that is not only the largest birdseed seller in the chain, but it's the largest in the entire country and apparently getting bigger.

"We just had a record Memorial Day weekend for sales,'' Williams said Tuesday of his store that has been in the same comfy confines since taking over a failed savings and loan building in 1991. "And that follows a record April and March.''

And this isn't just throw-some-seed-in-your-back-yard kind of stuff. There's some serious research going on here, such as Jim's Birdacious Butter Bark. Spread it on your favorite tree or anywhere else you would like to attract birds, and they will come quicker than hound dogs to a hunt.

Williams says people are staying at home more, making their back yards more of a "sanctuary'' and that wild birds become pets to those who feed them regularly, although the birds would not appreciate that tag, Williams says.

Noting consumer spending habits in a recession offers some valuable lessons. Clearly, pets and their needs are necessities when it comes to the family budget. Don't label pet food as discretionary spending."

You can read the full article here.