Long-Time Wild Birds Unlimited Customer-Turned-Franchisee on How He’s Navigated These Challenging Times

When husband and wife duo Manuel and Anna Pena opened their Wild Birds Unlimited store in Dripping Springs, Texas three years ago, they never could have imagined a period of time in which their location would be forced to temporarily close its doors due to a global pandemic. Initially, their decision to franchise with Wild Birds Unlimited stemmed from a need to have a store closer to their home.

“I was a long-time customer of Wild Birds Unlimited for more than 20 years. I used to shop at the store in Austin. But as the city got more populated and there was more traffic, it wasn’t as easy for me to visit,” said Manuel. “We had always talked about doing something together as a family, and we realized that we could bring a Wild Birds Unlimited of our own to Dripping Springs. So, we reached out to the franchise, and now my wife and I both work here alongside our daughter, Amanda, and our son, Hector. Our grandchildren are becoming a part of the store, too.”

When the COVID-19 crisis first hit the U.S. early this spring, the Penas decided to be cautious. In the middle of March, they closed their store to customers, but were ultimately able to continue serving their community through online orders, delivery and curbside pickup.

Throughout this time, curbside service has made up about 95% of sales for the Dripping Springs Wild Birds Unlimited. According to Manuel, that ability to take orders online and over the phone has been instrumental in their success during this time: “We’re fortunate that we had our MyWBU website set up already. We wouldn’t have been as successful as we have been if we weren’t prepared to handle online orders.”

The Penas are incredibly grateful for their loyal customers, who have gone above and beyond to support them during this time. Manuel said, “One thing that we’ve been really happy with is the fact that our customers have been so understanding with the approach that we’ve taken. We’ve received a lot of feedback applauding us for doing what we needed to do in order to keep everyone safe,” Manuel said.

In addition to their customers, the Penas are also thankful to be a part of the Wild Birds Unlimited franchise system. Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, they’ve been able to rely on the support from their leadership team, which has been invaluable.

“During this time, the franchise set up a COVID-19 hotline and help desk which has been really helpful. We’ve only had to utilize it a couple of times, but it’s been really beneficial,” said Manuel. “Running a business is already difficult, so dealing with the little, everyday problems you have and then putting COVID-19 on top of that has been challenging. We’ve been fortunate to have the help we need whenever we ask for it.”

Paul Pickett, chief development officer for Wild Birds Unlimited, notes that this type of support is exactly why the franchise model exists. He said, “We have a responsibility to help our franchise owners navigate the challenges of business ownership, and it’s not a responsibility we take lightly. Over the past few months, we’ve done everything we can to ensure that franchisees like Manuel and Anna have everything they need to be successful and come out stronger on the other side of this crisis.”

The Penas are confident that their business will thrive once their store reopens and customers once again are able to come through their doors. Manuel notes that if there’s one thing that has been positive throughout the past few months, it’s that more people are discovering the joy of backyard bird feeding.

“There’s been a real shift in perspective from our customers. While they’ve been stuck at home, they’ve really gotten into backyard bird feeding. They’re looking at is as a type of escape mechanism,” said Manuel. “Being at home has been really difficult for some people, but the response that we’ve received from customers is that they have a new appreciation for the joy this hobby brings.”

Wild Birds Unlimited is the original and largest franchise system of backyard bird feeding and nature specialty stores with more than 300 locations throughout the United States and Canada. The investment level to open a Wild Birds Unlimited location is $170,382 to $281,606. To learn about franchising opportunities with Wild Birds Unlimited, please visit ***