When 18-year-old Danielle Motley walked into Wild Birds Unlimited 20 years ago looking for a job, she immediately fell in love with its magical setting amongst the running fountains and birdsong. Having secured the position, she spent the next few years learning the ins and outs of the business and in 2011, she bought the shop.
In those early days, Motley frequently worked 15-hour shifts from 8 a.m. until 3 a.m. the next morning, while 9 months pregnant and with a toddler on her hip. Her husband Mark still had a demanding job outside of the store. Now they run the business together, which she said has been amazing. “We have an incredible team and store manager that allow us to spend time with our three kiddos, show up to all their sports functions and be there when they get home from school. Throughout all the years of hard work and growing to a point of stability, we feel incredibly grateful to all of Mount Pleasant for giving us the opportunity to build something this special. Our customers have carried us through and kept our business not only alive but thriving and we owe so much to this community.”
She added, “As the company has continued to grow year after year, we have never taken for granted that folks could shop elsewhere for their bird feeding supplies and they trust us, our products and our advice to be the very best here in our local area. That’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly.”
The most rewarding part of the business, Motley said, is educating customers who come in looking to attract a certain species, such as painted buntings or nesting bluebirds, and helping them achieve success. For Motley, seeing people fall in love with a rewarding hobby that benefits wildlife, watching them care for the birds in their backyard and beyond and seeing that passion blossom is incredibly touching. “There’s something special about sharing moments with nature and hearing stories of how birds have brought people solace during a difficult time, the excitement in people’s voices when they see their first hummingbird or the disbelief when someone spots a painted bunting – it’s all so magical and never ceases to keep us inspired to do what we do.”
Despite the ebb and flow of availability for natural bird feed sources, Motley maintains a positive outlook in the knowledge that the birds are simply enjoying natural food sources – and she’s grateful that they’re able to do so. “Our customers still come in and share stories with us and ask questions so we never lose the motivation,” she said.
Outside of work, Motley is passionate about working in her garden, researching native and host plants, searching for caterpillars and looking for birds. She also enjoys writing about bird feeding and other backyard adventures with the children. Additionally, she and Mark, who is an avid coin collector and spends his spare time playing a round of golf, love to travel when the family’s schedules allow.
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