Birds make wonderful pets for many people. Their beautiful plumage, cute chirps, and entertaining antics bring joy to homes across America. As interest in pet birds has grown, so too has the market for bird supplies, toys, and accessories. This has led to the opening of numerous specialty retail stores catering to bird lovers. But when it comes to size, one store stands out from the flock as the largest bird shop in the USA.
The History of Bird Stores
Before discussing the biggest bird store in America today, it helps to understand a bit about the history of bird shops. Retail stores focused on pet birds first started appearing in the United States in the late 19th century. Back then, parrot keeping was becoming fashionable in Victorian times. The few bird stores that existed mainly served wealthy hobbyists.
By the 1950s, parrots and parakeets were rising in popularity as house pets. More middle-class families started seeking pet birds. The increased demand allowed pet stores to expand their bird offerings. Some shops began dedicating more retail space to bird supplies. A handful of specialized bird stores also opened during this postwar era.
The pet bird boom really took flight in the 1970s. Avian veterinary care was improving, allowing birds to live longer in captivity. Additionally, wild bird imports made new exotic species readily available. Bird stores started popping up in most major American cities to meet the growing enthusiasm for feathered pets.
Today, bird keeping is firmly established in the US. It is estimated that around 15 million households have pet birds. From Budgies to Macaws, bird enthusiasts require specialized products and knowledge. This enduring passion has enabled many American bird stores to thrive and expand to meet customer needs.
Factors for Size
Several key factors contribute to a bird shop’s size and ability to claim the title of largest in the country:
- Total retail space – How much floor area they have for displays, products, and customer traffic flow.
- Product selection – The diversity of their avian merchandise and breadth of species-specific supplies.
- On-site aviaries – Large flight cages to house exotic bird species that customers can interact with.
- Boarding/grooming – Providing pet bird services and overnight boarding that require significant facilities.
- Veterinary clinics – Having an avian vet practice as part of their store location.
- Multiple locations – Operating more than one retail store, which increases total square footage.
The biggest bird stores excel in most or all these aspects. Their size allows them to offer customers an unrivaled shopping experience in terms of selection and services.
The Contenders
Now that we’ve covered how bird stores get so big, let’s look at some of the largest shops competing for the top spot:
Parrots of the World – Rockford, IL
With over 15,000 square feet of retail space, Parrots of the World may sound like a contender. This iconic bird store in Rockford, IL has been family owned and operated since 1989. They stock one of the most extensive product inventories in their large retail area. This includes everything from bird cages and feed to toys, incubation equipment, and avian specialty items. Their physical space and massive product selection helps make their case for largest bird store.
The Bird Shoppe – Albuquerque, NM
Founded in 1993, The Bird Shoppe is one of the oldest and biggest bird specialty stores in New Mexico. Their main location encompasses 12,000 square feet packed full of avian supplies and accessories. Bird housing from small cages up to extra large aviaries fill the floors. They also have a private birdie daycare and boarding facility on-site. Their size, selection, and services make The Bird Shoppe a top contender.
The Exotic Bird Shop – Vista, CA
On the West Coast, The Exotic Bird Shop is renowned among avian aficionados. Their main Vista location occupies over 10,000 square feet jam-packed with merchandise for pet birds. They also own an auxiliary store and birdie boutique in nearby San Marcos, CA. With sizable retail space in multiple locations, The Exotic Bird Shop emerges as one of the largest bird-focused stores in the country.
And the Largest Bird Store Is…
After reviewing contenders from across America, one store stands out above the rest for its colossal size and extensive offerings. The title of largest bird store in the United States goes to…
Petland Discounts – Multiple Locations
Founded in 1966 in New York City, the popular pet store chain called Petland Discounts takes the top spot as America’s biggest bird store. With over 70 large format stores across 7 northeastern states, their total retail footage dedicated to pet birds adds up to gargantuan proportions.
Individual Petland Discounts stores average around 12,000 square feet. In each outlet, pet birds and bird supplies occupy about a quarter of the sales floor. This equates to roughly 3,000 square feet of cage birds and avian inventory per location. Spread over 70 stores, that’s 210,000 total square feet of retail space catering to bird lovers!
Beyond their sheer large size, Petland Discounts carries an unrivaled assortment of pet bird products spanning hundreds of varieties. Their caged bird section features all the top supplies for owners to properly care for their feathered friends. They also offer bird grooming, vet services, and boarding at select locations. The combination of enormous retail space dedicated to pet birds across their chain has earned Petland Discounts the distinction as America’s biggest bird shop.
Runner-Ups
While Petland Discounts takes first prize, a few other very large bird stores deserve honorable mentions:
Petco – Multiple Locations
This national pet retailer operates over 1,500 stores across North America. Their average outlet size is just under 14,000 square feet. Typically around 20% of merchandising space goes toward pet birds and related inventory. This gives Petco a cumulative bird section footprint approaching 500,000 square feet chainwide.
PetSmart – Multiple Locations
As Petco’s main rival, PetSmart also dedicates significant retail space to pet birds across 1,650+ stores. Individual locations average 12,000 square feet. With bird merchandise occupying roughly 15% of sales floors, PetSmart boasts around 300,000 total square feet for bird supplies.
Pet Supplies Plus – Multiple Locations
At smaller neighborhood-sized stores of 6,500 square feet, Pet Supplies Plus has over 600 outlets across the US. Their smaller bird merchandise sections still add up to significant cumulative space nationwide.
While Petland Discounts bests these other major chains as the top bird store, Petco, PetSmart, and Pet Supplies Plus deserve credit for their sizable contributions to supplying the US bird market.
Notable Regional Bird Stores
In addition to the national chains above, several extra-large regional bird stores stand out for their grand sizes catering to local bird lovers:
- Fauna – New York City metro area
- Wild Birds Unlimited – Greater Atlanta area
- Canary Cove – San Francisco Bay Area
- Skybird Aviaries – Greater Seattle Area
These beloved local bird stores have become neighborhood institutions with expansive retail spaces to serve the abundant bird keeping hobbyists in their communities.
Key Takeaways
Let’s recap the key points from our exploration of America’s biggest bird retailer:
- Petland Discounts earns the top spot as the largest bird store in the US, with over 210,000 total square feet of retail space dedicated to pet birds across their chain.
- Their closest contender is Petco, with approximately 500,000 cumulative square feet for bird supplies chainwide.
- Factors like total retail area, product selection, avian services, vet clinics, and multi-location operations determine a bird store’s size.
- Notable runners-up are other major chains like PetSmart and Pet Supplies Plus, along with some extra-large regional bird stores.
- As bird keeping grows in popularity, so does the marketplace, allowing America’s biggest bird stores to continually expand.
For bird lovers across the United States, these mega bird stores offer the ultimate shopping destination. Their shelves overflow with endless varieties of cages, feed, toys, and everything else feathered friends need. For total retail space dedicated to pet birds, Petland Discounts leads the flock as the country’s biggest bird store.
Conclusion
When it comes to purchasing supplies for feathered pets, bird owners want access to the biggest selection and specialty inventory possible. America’s avid bird enthusiasts are fortunate to have gigantic bird stores like Petland Discounts that provide all the products needed in spacious shopping environments. With expert staff and amenities like boarding and vet services, these mega retailers have earned their wings as the nation’s premier bird stores. Their expansive size reflects America’s enduring passion for pet birds and the thriving avian marketplace.
