1851

After a standout year, <a href="http://franchise.wbu.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=wild-birds-unlimited-sees-potential-in-montgomery-alabama-9025" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" rel="nofollow">Wild Birds Unlimited</a> set its sights on 2017, searching for new markets to expand into and continuing to focus on the satisfaction and confidence of its franchisees. While 2016 has been the strongest year of unit growth for the brand in a decade, the bird watching and feeding retailer is leveraging their impressive momentum for even further expansion. Growing throughout the country, there&rsquo;s a particular untapped market with major potential where the brand hopes to grow&mdash;Montgomery, Alabama.

Historically, Alabama has been a very strong market for <a href="http://wildbirdsunlimited.1851franchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=wild-birds-unlimited-sees-potential-in-montgomery-alabama-9025" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wild Birds Unlimited</a>. &ldquo;Alabama was, in fact, the first southern market that we expanded to when we were just getting started in franchising in the 1980s, with Huntsville, Alabama being our first southern store,&rdquo; says Wild Birds Unlimited chief development officer Paul Pickett. With four locations in four major markets, including Auburn, Mobile, Birmingham and Huntsville, the brand has seen consistent success for a variety of reasons. For one, it&rsquo;s a beautiful state with a wealth of ideal habitats for bird watching, whether it be in a forest or in someone&rsquo;s backyard. Expanding to Montgomery would allow the brand to round out its striking presence in Alabama.

&ldquo;When we look at a market, we engage our hobby and nature education department to gather some facts about bird feeding activity and population in that market,&rdquo; says Pickett. &ldquo;We run demographics, we look at retailing trends and take a look at who else is there. We know that Montgomery has a strong market, with lots of mid-size communities. There are over 150,000 people there, with an average household income that&rsquo;s well over what we&rsquo;re looking for in a 5-mile radius.&rdquo;

Aside from the impressive demographic, Alabama also boasts some of the best bird watching in the country, from meadowlarks to bluebirds to cuckoos. As a city, Montgomery also has a vast number of habitats where bird watchers enjoy the atmosphere just as much as the unique birds that inhabit and visit them.

In downtown Montgomery, for example, Oak Park boasts a number of trails, primarily forested by mature hardwoods. Lagoon Park in northeast Montgomery features extensive shallow wetlands that are perfect for wading birds, small rafts of ducks in the winter and swallows. And just 15 minutes west of downtown Montgomery sits Gunter Hill Park, a campground with tall pines hardwoods draped with Spanish moss.

Riding the momentum of an accomplished year, Wild Birds Unlimited isn&rsquo;t done growing yet. Now, says Pickett, is the perfect time to continue expansion.

&ldquo;As a franchise system, we&rsquo;ve really been on our game,&rdquo; says Pickett. &ldquo;We ended 2016 as the best year from a development standpoint in over a decade. Franchisee satisfaction and unit economics are strong and growing because we really refined to simplified our system and the operations of the stores. Backyard bird feeding continues to be one of the most beloved hobbies.&rdquo;

Wild Birds Unlimited Sees Potential in Montgomery, Alabama

1851 Franchise

The bird and nature retailer looks to leverage a proven market by expanding to Montgomery.

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

wild-birds-unlimited-sees-potential-in-montgomery-alabama

United Water Restoration Group

image of water restoration group Air Force veteran Nathan Sherman

Is United Water Restoration Group the Right Franchise Opportunity for First-Time Business Owners?

united-water-restoration-group-first-time-business-owners

Paris Baguette

image of Paris baguette franchise owner success

The Recipe for Success: A Step-By-Step Guide to Opening a Paris Baguette Franchise

paris-baguette-franchise-process

Onigilly Japanese Kitchen

Image of Onigilly restaurant franchise Reports Record 2025 Growth in Fast Casual

Onigilly Japanese Kitchen Closes 2025 With Record Sales Growth and Expanding Franchise Pipeline

onigilly-franchise-2025-growth-fast-casual

Pool Scouts

Pool Scouts Franchise - 2025 Annual Convention - Dallas TX - 1851 Franchise

Pool Scouts' 2025 Conference Sets the Stage for the Brand's Next Phase of Growth

pool-scouts-2025-conference-recap

Home Halo

image of a home halo franchisee elder care business owner franchisee

Why Home Halo Franchise Owners Don’t Just Run a Senior Home Care Business — They Lead a Local Care Company

why-home-halo-franchise-owners-become-local-care-leaders

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 Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

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

Domino's Franchise - North Pole - Dec 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Domino’s Pizza Brings Delivery Cheer to North Pole, Alaska

dominos-pizza-franchise-north-pole-alaska

California Pizza Kitchen’s Sale Is the Latest in the Era of PE-Backed Turnarounds in Franchising

california-pizza-kitchens-sale-is-the-latest-in-the-era-of-pe-backed-turnarounds-in-franchising

Buying a fitness franchise, people exercising

Boutique vs. Big Box Gym Franchises: Which Offers Best ROI in the $7 Billion Fitness Market?

buy-fitness-franchise-boutique-big-box-comparison

Pieology Pizza Enters Chapter 11 Following Costly Bid To Save Struggling Stores

pieology-pizza-files-chapter-11-bankruptcy

CNBC: McDonald’s Will Assess if Franchisees Are Offering Value for Customers Under New Standards

mcdonalds-franchise-standards-value-metric

Paris Baguette Welcomes Zac Sulma as New Chief Operating Officer

new-coo-zac-sulma

Bed Bath & Beyond - Franchise Expansion - Retail Strategy - 1851 Franchise

Bed Bath & Beyond Launches Franchise Model as Part of Comeback Strategy

bed-bath-beyond-franchise-expansion-retail-strategy

Senior Entrepreneurship - Franchising - 1851 Franchise

Senior Entrepreneurship Is Rising — And Franchising Is a Key Outlet

senior-entrepreneurship-franchising-silver-startups

AI-related job cuts, October U.S. job cuts, American job cut record

AI-Fueled Layoffs Reshape the U.S. Job Market — And Highlight Franchising’s Resilience

Wild Birds Unlimited Sees Potential in Montgomery, Alabama

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS