Wild Bird House | Shop Local
By LAUREN JURGENSEN | Photos by BRIAN PETERS
WILD ABOUT LOCAL
The value of local businesses often shines brightest in small, tight-knit communities. For Topeka natives Melody and Todd Weller, owners of the Wild Bird House bird and pet supply store, their commitment to local business is more than just a livelihood — it’s a way to support their community.
“We have people come in with bird feed they bought from a big box store, and they want our advice,” said Melody, who has a background in wildlife rehabilitation. “Mom-and-pop shops know what they’re selling and can go the extra mile to help their customers, which is not something you’re going to get online or from a big box store.”
Melody and Todd bought the store from its previous owner in 2007. More than 15 years after they took over, Wild Bird House — a Topeka fixture since the early 1990s — is celebrating its 30th year in business.
“People come in all the time and say they’ve been to our store before, but hadn’t realized we’d moved,” Melody said, describing how the store has changed locations a few times before settling into its current space at 2901 SW 29th St. “The last time we moved was about 10 years ago, but we’re amazed by how many people are excited to find out we’re still in Topeka but at a different location.”
BIRDS OF A FEATHER SHOP TOGETHER
Melody had originally planned to open her own bird supply store. But Wild Bird House’s former owner, who knew Melody and had hired her to work at the store, had something different in mind.
“I went to the previous owner and told her that I wanted to open my own shop,” Melody said. “She immediately said, ‘No, buy this one.’”
Upon becoming the new owners, Melody and Todd were quick to add their own personal touches to the shop.
Todd, a programmer, went so far as to design a new point-of-sale software system. He has also become Wild Bird House’s resident pet food expert.
“People bring in their dogs while they shop and we get to know a lot of our customers’ pets,” Melody said, adding that she and her family love to bring their pets to the store to socialize with customers. “Our son used to bring in his Boston Terrier and everybody would come in just to see her. At one point, we had an older dog that we’d adopted from a customer. Now we have a cat at the store, Oscar, who’s been there for about a year and gets lots of attention.”
A BUSINESS WITH A BIRD’S-EYE VIEW
Despite the store’s name, wild bird supplies like seeds, suet, feeders and bird baths are only a fraction of the items available for purchase.
Cat and dog owners — as well as people who don’t own pets — are often delighted to discover that Wild Bird House sells everything from pet food and outdoor furniture to greeting cards and gifts.
In recent years, the store’s customers have grown younger and younger.
“When the pandemic happened, there were a lot of young people who started working from home,” Melody said. “They came into the store because they wanted to have a bird feeder outside their window, so they could sit at their computer and watch the birds.”
Even younger are the children whose parents bring them in to browse the store’s diverse selection of books.
“We’re kind of known for our kids’ books,” Melody said. She added that many people visit Wild Bird House for their greeting cards alone. Greeting cards remain one of the store’s most in-demand items, which is why she and Todd began to stock more of them after moving into a larger, 5,000-square-foot space.
Gardeners and outdoor enthusiasts are fond of the shop’s colorful collection of kinetic yard art, statues and windchimes, including hand-tuned Corinthian Bells and the popular Woodstock brand.
“Our business philosophy is that we’re not just selling items, we’re providing solutions for our customers’ needs,” Todd said. “We know that if we help the person succeed at what they want to do, they’ll come back.”
Providing expert advice not only fosters customer loyalty, it also protects customers by helping them avoid costly mistakes.
“There was a hummingbird house that went viral on social media,” Melody said. “Well, hummingbirds don’t use houses. They build their own little nest. We could sell hummingbird houses, but we choose not to because that’s not the way it works.”
The Wellers’ commitment to quality extends beyond the products they sell. It can also be seen in their customer interactions.“Our son, who works with us, has an incredible memory. He’ll see a customer pull up and have their seed ready at the counter before they walk in the door,” Melody said.
TAKING THE COMMUNITY UNDER THEIR WING
The Wellers are keenly aware of how Wild Bird House and other local stores can have a positive, long-term impact on the community and local economy.
“We shop local and keep our money local,” Todd said. “The economics of it are better for the community. If you’re buying local, you’re keeping the money.”
He added that when big box stores come to Topeka, they create jobs and employ people, but their profits go back to corporate.
“In our case, the profits we make go right back to the community,” he said.
