ABOUT
At JJ Cardinal’s Wild Bird & Nature Store we are eager to share our love of the spaces outside of our homes with the creatures and plants with which we coexist. We carry a wide variety of products to feed and shelter birds and other critters. We also provide items to share with your friends and loved ones or even for yourself to mark important milestones and simple moments. JJ Cardinal’s sells great products, provides exceptional services and shares information to increase the joy of the outdoor world around you. We strive to remind ourselves to pick our heads up and observe the world around us with wonder and appreciation.
Showing consideration and care in all our actions
Providing a warm, nonjudgmental, trustworthy and fun environment where we can share the things we have seen, things we have learned regarding what to do and what not to do, what is next on our list of accomplishments, friendship, and an opportunity to just be in the moment.
Seeking out great suppliers that can deliver unique products with exceptional quality and value.
Continually educating ourselves by learning new things, being willing to fail, and always asking why.
We do this for our guests, ourselves, our community, our suppliers and the natural world that surrounds us.
OUR HISTORY
JJ Cardinal's was started in 1991 by Louise Dawson, who turned her love of nature into a place where like-minded people could learn and share their experiences as well as buying high quality products for birds and other outdoor critters. As the business grew, she moved to our current location and expanded the product line. After 26 years of serving the community Louise decided it was time to devote more of her time to her natural curiosity and to spend more time with her best friend, Mike Dawson.
Louise did not want to shutter the business. She had several long-time customers that not only enjoyed the products she carried, but the store's own unique personality. As Louise did not want to disappoint them or the local community, she put a note in her newsletter that she was open to selling the store.
In October of 2017, Gretchen and Ken Giles purchased JJ Cardinal's. Gretchen had been a regular customer who loved the store. The staff stayed with the store and Louise stayed on for a few months to help with the transition. The goal was to make the change it as seamless as possible for all the people who had supported JJ Cardinal's for the past 26 years.
Gretchen has an extensive background in the green industry including completing the Master Gardener training, with a certification in Landscape and Nursery Management from Michigan State University, and is a member of the Professional Gardeners Association. In the spring of 2018, Giles Gardens was added to JJ Cardinal’s providing garden education, lectures, consultation, design and personal gardening services. The gardening and birding world naturally overlap so it was not only a seamless addition to JJ Cardinal’s but one that made sense.
Why we don’t have a shopping cart
JJ Cardinal’s is a location that needs to be experienced in person to be appreciated. We do offer purchases over the phone or via email for guests who are unable to come in, but not an online shopping cart. We sincerely believe that we need to have a conversation with you to understand your needs. When providing food and shelter for birds and other critters each situation is different. We want to make sure that you get the products that meet your needs and given situation. We want to provide the specialized service you deserve. While we have standard products we keep on the shelf, the store is constantly getting in new and unique items to keep things fresh and exciting. With such a wide variety of ever changing items, it would be impossible to show them all on our web pages. If there is something you are looking for, let us know. If the product is in the range of products we sell we will do our best to get it for you.