1851

<a href="https://franchise.wbu.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=tenured-wild-birds-unlimited-franchisees-betty-pauciello-and-nina-resavage-retire-pass-the-torch-to-employee-2709685" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">Wild Birds Unlimited</a> made a strong and lasting impression on Betty Pauciello and Nina Resavage long before they realized it was a franchise.

Pauciello originally came into contact with the brand at a store that was about 15 minutes from where she lived. She and Resavage had been visiting that store for at least a year when they found out that it was a franchise and that the owner they enjoyed speaking with so much was a Wild Birds Unlimited franchise store owner.

&ldquo;Nina and I waited for some customers to leave before we approached the owner,&rdquo; Pauciello said. &ldquo;Both of us were at the point where we were hoping to find new careers and we asked her about the business.&rdquo;

Pauciello was working in the corporate world at the time, while Resavage was teaching middle school health and physical education, a job she held for 28 years. They were both ready to move on.

They got in touch with the<a href="https://1851franchise.com/wildbirdsunlimited/info/index.html" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank"> Wild Birds Unlimited</a> franchise development team and spoke with Chief Development Officer Paul Pickett. The two also did their own research and were quickly impressed with<a href="https://1851franchise.com/wildbirdsunlimited/wild-birds-unlimited-included-in-entrepreneur-franchise-500-rankings-2708872" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank"> the positive reviews the brand had from its franchise system</a>.

&ldquo;There were other bird feeding franchises in the area, so we had the opportunity to look at three different business models. But when we did the research, we decided that Wild Birds Unlimited was the one,&rdquo; Pauciello said. &ldquo;They were more established. Plus, we loved the store. We shopped there. Within four months, we were ready to roll.&rdquo;

Wild Birds Unlimited also just had a better vibe, overall.

&ldquo;The store we visited always had such a nice atmosphere and we thought &lsquo;Wouldn&rsquo;t this be a fun thing to do for a living? This is a nice group,&rsquo;&rdquo; Resavage said.

They opened their Wild Birds Unlimited store from the ground up in Dresher, Pennsylvania in July 1993. In the beginning, Resavage continued to teach and would work in the store on weekends and during the summer.

&ldquo;We&rsquo;re in an area where there are several nature centers and places nearby to go on bird walks,&rdquo; Pauciello said. &ldquo;They have educational programs for adults and children, so people around here grew up with that surrounding them. If they were interested in birds and nature, they had the ability to pursue that interest.&rdquo;

Fast-forward to early 2016, and Pauciello and Resavage were approached by a new set of interested prospective franchisees. Rich Conroy and Marlene Morano came into the Dresher store and told Pauciello and Resavage they wanted to open a Wild Birds Unlimited franchise. This is not an uncommon occurrence,<a href="https://1851franchise.com/wildbirdsunlimited/how-wild-birds-unlimited-keeps-franchising-simple-2707203" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank"> as many prospective Wild Birds Unlimited franchisees visit existing stores</a> to help them determine whether they are interested in moving forward with the franchising process.

&ldquo;We talked with them about the pros and cons and directed them to Paul. We just figured they would open a store, but they came back to us a few months later,&rdquo; Pauciello said. &ldquo;There were no available territories in the area that they were interested in, and they wondered if Nina and I would sell our location.&rdquo;

Pauciello and Resavage didn&rsquo;t want to sell just yet, but after about a year, they hired Conroy part-time. He worked at the store for one year before they decided to take him up on his offer and retire.

Pauciello and Resavage cited their love of the customers as the main reason for staying with the brand for so long. Even though they no longer own or work in their old store, they still keep in touch with many customers and even make lunch dates with them.

&ldquo;As much as we have always loved the franchise, our customers were paramount in keeping our business for so long, the ability to make a living and working with such great people,&rdquo; Pauciello said. &ldquo;People would come to the store and say &lsquo;I come here because I love the atmosphere.&rsquo; I don&rsquo;t know where else you can come across that.&rdquo;

Resavage echoed the sentiment.

&ldquo;Our customers were always very loyal,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;They wanted to support us.<a href="https://1851franchise.com/wildbirdsunlimited/wild-birds-unlimited-franchisees-participate-in-community-initiatives-and-get-major-business-boost-2709260" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank"> They liked to support local businesses</a>.&rdquo;

Not only did Resavage and Pauciello form long-term friendships with many of their loyal customers, but they also made plenty of friends among the Wild Birds Unlimited franchise system.

&ldquo;To this day, I keep in touch with store owners who have sold their stores and others who are still in the system,&rdquo; Pauciello said.

Resavage and Pauciello appreciate the support the Wild Birds Unlimited franchise support center team provided throughout the years, from marketing and social media support to testing products to finding vendors to numbers analysis.

&ldquo;The franchise was always trying to make things new and fresh,&rdquo; Pauciello said. &ldquo;They did things that we wouldn&rsquo;t have been able to do on our own, from a marketing standpoint and a<a href="https://1851franchise.com/wildbirdsunlimited/the-lasting-benefits-of-wild-birds-unlimited-s-new-product-line-2709065" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank"> new product standpoint</a>. They tested the quality of the products and always came out with new things and new ideas. Marketing was never my strong suit, so we really leaned on them for support. You can&rsquo;t get this far without having a good company behind you to make it happen. We wouldn&rsquo;t have been able to do this without the support of the franchise support center team.&rdquo;

Now that they&rsquo;re retired, Pauciello and Resavage can look back upon a long period of time in which they held jobs they truly enjoyed.

&ldquo;We didn&rsquo;t mind getting up to go to work,&rdquo; Resavage said. &ldquo;It wasn&rsquo;t just about the birds.&rdquo;

&ldquo;It&rsquo;s been a nice journey,&rdquo; Pauciello said. &ldquo;We were just looking for something that would allow us to make a living, something that would be worthwhile and that we&rsquo;d enjoy even after 25 years. I wanted something that I would enjoy doing and look back upon and think that I made a difference.&rdquo;

The startup costs for a Wild Birds Unlimited franchise range from $150,837 to $260,991, which includes the $30,000 franchise fee. To learn more about franchising with Wild Birds Unlimited, visit<a href="https://franchise.wbu.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=tenured-wild-birds-unlimited-franchisees-betty-pauciello-and-nina-resavage-retire-pass-the-torch-to-employee-2709685" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank"> https://franchise.wbu.com/</a>.

Tenured Wild Birds Unlimited Franchisees Betty Pauciello and Nina Resavage Retire, Pass the Torch to Employee

1851 Franchise

Betty Pauciello and Nina Resavage owned and operated their Wild Birds Unlimited franchise for almost 30 years.

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

tenured-wild-birds-unlimited-franchisees-betty-pauciello-and-nina-resavage-retire-pass-the-torch-to-employee

Woodhouse Spas

Photo of exterior of Woodhouse Spa location

Woodhouse Spas Fees: What Do I Get for My Investment?

woodhouse-spas-franchise-fees-and-support

Paris Baguette

Photo of Paris Baguette cake featuring layers with cream and berries, topped with fresh berries

The Bakery Café Industry Is Booming, and Paris Baguette Is Leading the Charge

bakery-cafe-franchise-paris-baguette-opportunity

Caring Transitions

Compassionate Support During Life’s Major Changes: How Caring Transitions Leads With Heart and Professionalism

compassionate-support-during-lifes-major-changes-how-caring-transitions-leads-with-heart-and-professionalism

Keke's Breakfast Cafe

kekes-breakfast-cafe-franchisee-profile-moe-kahil-image

Day in the Life: Discovering the Passion Behind a Keke's Breakfast CafeⓇ Franchise

kekes-breakfast-cafe-franchisee-moe-khalil-profile

kekes-breakfast-cafe-launch-story-the-investment-building-exterior-image

The Strength of the Keke’s Breakfast CafeⓇ Franchise Investment

kekes-franchise-investment

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

House Passes Tax Relief Package With Key Benefits for Small Businesses and Franchises

house-passes-small-business-tax-relief-bill-2025

McDonald’s To Hire 375,000 Workers as It Prepares for Major U.S. Expansion

mcdonalds-to-hire-375000-workers-as-it-prepares-for-major-us-expansion

Subway Pushes Global Growth Despite U.S. Closures 

subway-pushes-global-growth-despite-us-closures

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands - 1851 Franchise

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands

doordash-acquistions-deliveroo-sevenrooms

Crumbl Franchise Investment - TSG Consumer Partners -  1851 Franchise

TSG Consumer Partners Takes Minority Stake in Crumbl, Signaling Franchise Growth Potential

crumbl-franchise-investment-tsg-consumer

franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Abid Khan and Paris Baguette logo

Longtime Tim Horton’s Franchisee Signs 4-Unit Agreement with Paris Baguette in Toronto

longtime-tim-hortons-franchisee-signs-4-unit-agreement-with-paris-baguette-in-toronto

franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Brianna and Matt Fitchett, Seniors Helping Seniors logo

Nonprofit Leaders to Bring Seniors Helping Seniors® Franchise to East Bay, California

nonprofit-leaders-to-bring-seniors-helping-seniors-franchise-to-east-bay-california

1851 Franchisee Spotlight graphic with photo of Steve & Mia Kim & Paris Baguette logo

After Falling in Love with Paris Baguette, This North Carolina Couple Decided To Open One of Their Own

paris-baguette-franchise-charlotte-nc

Iowa Family Blends Craft Beer and Gourmet Pizza Through Voodoo Brewing and Pizza World Partnership

voodoo-brewing-pizza-world-partnership-jordan-sanders

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How To Create a Strong Incentive

how-to-build-strong-incentives-to-attract-prospective-franchisees

How Car Sales Taught Buddy's Home Furnishings’ Mitchell Lee the Secrets of Franchise Development

how-car-sales-taught-buddys-home-furnishings-mitchell-lee-the-secrets-of-franchise-development

The Top 20 Cleaning Franchises to Invest in for 2025

top-cleaning-franchises-to-invest-in

The Top 20 Handyman Franchises To Invest in for 2025

top-handyman-franchises-to-invest-in

Affordable Franchise Opportunities: Exploring Low-Cost Home Service Franchises Under $50K

affordable-franchise-opportunities-exploring-low-cost-home-service-franchises-under-50k

Tenured Wild Birds Unlimited Franchisees Betty Pauciello and Nina Resavage Retire, Pass the Torch to Employee

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS