We strive to be welcoming and accommodating to anyone who wants to shop at our store and enjoy nature. During regular business hours, you can expect:

• A front entrance without steps that is wheelchair and double-stroller accessible

• Aisles that are wheelchair and double-stroller accessible, including turning points

• A wheelchair-accessible checkout desk, as well as a portable checkout station to meet anyone where they are

• Staff that are welcoming and intolerant of racist, homophobic, ableist, and hateful language and actions of others in the store

Small Flock Hours

Once a month we will host accessible and low-sensory shopping hours outside of our regular business hours, which we call Small Flock Hours. These shopping hours are by appointment, and walk-in availability might be very limited. During this time, you can expect:

• No store fragrances

• Low noise and no music (just some chirping birds on our backyard livestream)

• Dimmed lights

• A limit of 5 people/shoppers in the store at one time

• PECS Boards and handheld portable whiteboards for anyone who might benefit

• Wearing masks is encouraged, to protect our immunocompromised guests

• No purchase is necessary to attend

At this time, we host Small Flock Hours once per month on Sunday mornings. We plan to host additional hours soon, once we gauge the best recurring day to add to the schedule.

To select a Small Flock Hours time slot, please do one of the following:

• Complete this short form to select your time slot for our next date

• Email us at hello@housefinchnaturestore.com, and we will work with you to solidify your spot

• Call us directly at 856-202-7623

• Or arrive as a walk-in or wheel-in (but we cannot guarantee you will be able to shop, as everyone with a time slot is given preference)

If you would benefit from accessible and/or low-sensory shopping but cannot attend our Small Flock Hours for any reason, contact us to arrange a private time to shop and browse. No purchase is necessary to arrange this time.

Accessible Delivery

We offer plastic-free local delivery of bird seed and other products through our online store. If delivery is an access need for you, rather than a convenience, use the code ACCESS at checkout for free local delivery regardless of order amount.

You can also place an order for delivery by calling us at 856-202-7623. We can take your credit card payment over the phone or collect cash from you upon delivery.

Where we can do better

While we strive for accessible experiences at House Finch, our setup is far from perfect and fully accessible. We have many high shelves and slat walls that do not allow for all people to reach all merchandise (even our owners!). We often bring out small ladders or step stools to help us reach high-up products for customers.

Our seed bins were built at ADA height intentionally; however, upon implementation, they are still difficult for wheelchair users to access. We do our best to keep the bins filled up, as this makes the seed more accessible and easier for everyone to reach. We also have ‘grab and go’ bags of popular seeds ready for takeaway.

We have many signs and cards in the store to provide information for customers - everything from pricing to information about seeds and other bird food products. The first iteration of these cards has font sizes too small for people with low vision. We are working on updating these cards for increased accessibility.

Our website is not accessible. This is not a custom site, it is built on Squarespace. We don’t have a lot of control over the accessibility (outside of Alt Text, which can’t be added to all images). An accessible website is a business tool we plan to implement in the future.

If you have any feedback to share about our store’s accessibility and approach, please let us know. We welcome suggestions and opportunities to learn and be better allies.

-Team House Finch