A. Wild Bird Centers of America, Inc., began operations in 1985 and awarded its first franchise in 1988. It all started with founder George Petrides, Sr.' first Wild Bird Center in Cabin John, Maryland (a Washington, D.C. suburb), and eventually grew into a franchise leader as the first customers of the first store expressed interest in owning stores of their own.
A. There is an initial license fee of $23,000 and a training fee of $2,000. There is an annual service fee, payable monthly, of 3.5% of store sales for the first two years, 5.5% for years 3-10 and 3.5% for 11 or more years. Please see our Uniform Franchise Offering Circular (disclosure document) supplied to all qualified franchise applicants which outlines all fees and schedules.
A. Wild Bird Centers offers a comprehensive retail management sytem built upon a proven business model and the experience, contacts and support of Home Office staff to guide you from the very beginning.
It starts with evaluation of the competitive situation in your market and its suitability for a wild bird store. We will assist you to develop a professional Business Plan and provide demographic tools to help us comparison shop for your store sites. We will visit your market location and help you with final site selection and lease negotiations. We will refer you to our store designer who will adapt our "trade dress" to your site and to our manufacturer who will build your store fixtures and ship them to your location.
Our intensive 6-day training program includes store operations and finances; selection of opening inventory; training on our exclusive TopFlight™ point of sale computer system; advertising, marketing and community relations strategies; personal selling skills; training on bird feeding preferences; opening your store and building sales into the future.
Ongoing support from the Home Office includes introduction to proven vendors; a large line of exclusive, private-label products; access to our national seed vendor; new product evaluation and development; toll-free support lines; an Intranet linking all store owners; participation in annual marketing programs, merchandising assistance, and an annual convention with workshops to benefit all franchisees. You also benefit from the leverage of the combined buying power of all WBCA stores.
A. Estimated startup costs for a Wild Bird Center range from $94,900 to $152,300 including the Franchise Fee and the Training Fee. All other amounts are payable to various suppliers and are itemized in our Uniform Franchise Offering Circular supplied to all qualified franchise applicants. The range in the estimate reflects differences in the square footage of stores and variations in local costs.
A. No. However, Wild Bird Centers of America, Inc., is very experienced in working with financing sources and will assist your efforts to obtain capital.
A. Absolutely! Multiple store ownership is encouraged. The initial license fee for an additional store is 50% of the current license fee; service fees for any new store begin at 3.5% for years 1-2 and follow our fee structure as usual thereafter.
A. The time required will depend greatly on the availability of a superior site. In general, it will take three to nine months to open your store. Allow four to six weeks from the time you take possession of your "vanilla box" store site to complete your build-out, stock your inventory and greet your first customer!
A. Yes. Territories are exclusive and protected and are defined in your Franchise Agreement by postal or zip codes.
A. Owners are free to choose from suppliers that best meet their needs but are required to carry "core inventory" items composed primarily of private label products. Franchisees may be required to deal with specified suppliers or carry specific products. Items that are not environmentally safe or are inconsistent with our positioning may be prohibited. This policy protects the respect and high regard now associated with the Wild Bird Center brand. Local crafts, artworks and other items are often featured by franchisees to help promote business in their communities and cater to local customer tastes.
A. No, you need not be a birding expert. We look for owners who can project and inspire a genuine love for birds, nature, and people. Your authority will not be based on your bird identification skills but upon the solid information on bird feeding preferences which you have learned through personal experience and our comprehensive owner training.
A. Yes. Occasionally, an owner may be considering retirement or selling their store investment. Further information can be obtained from our Franchise Development office. Please call George Petrides, Jr., Director of Franchise Development, at (800) WILDBIRD (945-3247) ext. 203 for details.
