Sassy cat out front seeks to lure in customers
photo by Gail Perry
A small non-profit business with a unique concept has opened in St. Elmo with a flouristh. The Naughty Cat Café at 3742 Tennessee Ave., the former location of Blockbuster Video, is all about benefiting homeless kittens and cats.
Co-owner Heath Hanson said in the first two weeks they have been open, there have been 2,000 people who have come and paid to pet the cats.
He said they have adopted out 20.
The establishment is not really a café. No food is prepared on site, only pre-packaged baked goods from local vendors such as Mama Crunk’s Pies and Cupcake Kitchen, is sold.
The visitation fee of $14.20 includes a non-alcoholic drink from a coffee and tea bar.
Beer is available for purchase. Mr. Hanson said there are 150 such businesses in the country and he found that the most successful ones offered alcoholic beverages. Beer sales are expected to be less than five percent of the revenue and the atmosphere will be family friendly, but he said he would do anything to increase the likelihood that the cats will be adopted. This includes being open six days a week to be available to the community. It will close on Mondays.
It also includes having someone out in front of the business in a cat suit waving at passing cars.
The goal is to help cats find a forever home and promote the importance of spay and neuter of animals. The café will operate as a big foster home for cats that come from local animal shelters such as the Humane Educational Society and Pet Placement Center. There will be 15-20 cats there at any given time, all ready to be adopted. Paperwork can be handled at Naughty Cat on behalf of the shelter that the animal comes from and 100 percent of the adoption fees will go to that shelter. The only profit for the owners will be if someone buys a tee-shirt, said Mr. Hanson.
The entrance fee allows visitors to play games, read and work with the available free Wi-Fi all while having coffee with a cat in your lap. The location will also hold special events such as Yoga with Cats, Date and Game Nights and “Caturday” Morning Cartoons. And the café will be available to rent as a venue for private parties such as birthdays, bachelorette or baby showers.
In addition to benefiting the cats, the Naughty Cat Café is also seen as a benefit for overloaded shelters, people looking to adopt a cat, renters who cannot have pets, and senior citizens.
“We don’t do it for the money,” says the website naughtycatcafe.com, “but we can’t do it without it.” The money from the entrance fees help pay for overhead and supplies. Mr. Hanson earlier told the beer board members that he and his partner, Whitney Sickels, had mortgaged their farm to raise the money needed to open the café.
Naughty Cat Cafe is open for business
photo by Gail Perry