Young people are always looking for the latest trends, especially if it involves furry pets. That is part of the strategy behind a new cafe in South Tampa that offers a different kind of coffee break.
Owners Brieannna Rekow and Lindsey Marzo discovered the concept of cat cafes, or lounges, where custom- ers can hang out with a colony of house cats when visiting San Francisco.
After they came back from their trip, they did some research and came up with ideas for their business. It also seemed like a great opportunity to apply what they learned from the University of Tampa’s Entrepreneurship program.
When the visitors enter the café, they will find signs on the wall “Don’t stress meowt.” This indicates that the whole point behind this cat café is to help their guests decompress from a long day of work or school.
Besides a location in a trendy part of town and offering everyone’s favorite beverage, the essential factor of their business is the cats, who are not only part of the experience, they are available for adoption as well.
The café ensures these kittens are in good health and microchipped by partnering up with Tampa-based nonprofit Cat Lovers Inc. In addition, these cats are at least 3 months old, are neutered, and vaccinated.
The café also holds special events such as kitten yoga. Kitten Yoga allows their customers to do 45 minutes of yoga and 15 minutes of playtime with all of the cats afterward. Not only do they offer yoga, but they also offer private events such as birthdays, team building, and graduation parties. As for the cat cafe’s menu, it includes cold brew, strawberry rose matcha, and Oreo stuffed cookies besides the usual lineup of coffee drinks and light snacks.
Rekow talked about how and where the food and drinks are made and that guests can be assured no fur balls will end up in the cup or on their plate. “The food is made at an off-site vendor so all of the treats come prepackaged and the drinks are made in a separate room as well,” she said, adding that the treats come from a local vendor such as the Blind Tiger Café located in Ybor City. Doing this prevents cross-contamination and ensures that food safety regulations are being followed.
Guests have the opportunity to adopt a cat they bond with and there is an interview process included to ensure that they are a good match for the cat. They have been in business since August and have had over 23 adoptions. The adoption fee is $125 per kitten and the money goes towards their rescue partner. The whole adoption process can take up to one to two weeks. If you want to visit Cats and Caffeine you need to plan ahead. A reservation is required prior to visiting the café since doing so will help the cats not feel overwhelmed by a large crowd of people.
The kitten lounge experience is one hour long and $22.00 for each person. The age requirement to visit the café is 8 years old and the café closes from 2 to 3 p.m. for deep cleaning (which also gives the cats a break as well). The café is located at 4033 Henderson Blvd. near Trader Joe’s and Sprouts Market in South Tampa.