David and Sheryl Mitchell traded in corporate suits for birdfeeders and seed mixes this fall when they purchased the Wild Birds Inc. franchise in Woodland Plaza.
The couple bought the 1,550-square-foot retail space Nov. 3 from Kurt and Liz Hagemeister who ran the business from its inception in Ann Arbor 15 years ago. David Mitchell would not disclose the selling price, but admitted the store is worth more than other less successful Wild Birds franchises he researched in Detroit and Tennessee.
The location of the plaza on the corner of S. Main and Ann Arbor-Saline roads, anchored by Busch’s Supermarket and a local favorite like Great Harvest Bread Co., has proven solid for several other franchise owners.
Wild Birds attracts serious bird feeders for which the pleasant activity of backyard bird feeding has become a true hobby. Most business comes from the sale of high quality seed and birdfeeders. In fact, almost 50 percent of sales come from the no-waste bird feeds. “Most commercial bird feeds contain a lot of fillers like sawdust and grains that birds don’t eat,” David said. “We sell only high quality, no-waste feeds.
You get more for your money.”
The store brought in $450,000 in sales last fiscal year and the Mitchells hope to build on this solid success story by increasing visibility and in-store events and promotions
“We plan to hold some special events at the store including information sessions with the previous owner who is an expert in bluebirds,” Sheryl explained.
They also intend to expand advertising, which may dip into radio and television, and increase the readership of their print and e-mail newsletters. They have yet to determine how much of their budget will go to advertising.
“Like many businesses, our best advertising is word of mouth,” David said. “We count on our returning and satisfied customers.
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