Cat cafe could open in SLO County — if it can raise funds for perfect spot. ‘We need a miracle’

A cat cafe could soon be coming to San Luis Obispo County — but its owners first need some help from the public to secure the purr-fect location.

“We need a miracle!” said an Instagram post from The Caffeinated Cat Café, which needs to hit its Kickstarter goal of $15,000 by Friday to secure a location deposit and first month rent, furniture and initial supplies.

The cafe — the brainchild of founder Jaime Pierce along with her husband Shawn Pierce — would offer a cat lounge alongside a coffee cart, so customers can enjoy food and beverages while playing with rescued, adoptable kitties.

What is that in SLO County?

Ever wonder what that construction is in your town or what happened to that local business? We’re finding out the answers. Send us your questions and tips by emailing reporter Kaytlyn Leslie at kleslie@thetribunenews.com.

• • •

Read More

• New SLO County cafe serves up American breakfasts with a Mexican flair

• SLO County bar closes doors after 5 years. ‘I think that’s all folks’

As of Thursday afternoon, the campaign had only raised a little more than $5,000 of its goal. The Kickstarter is an all-or-nothing campaign, so if they don’t reach their fundraising goal, the cafe won’t receive any of it.

According to the cafe’s Kickstarter page, the Caffeinated Cat Café would offer a haven for cat-enthusiasts to grab a bite to eat or coffee while hanging out with rescued, adoptable kitties in a space built like a home cat lounge.

The concept isn’t entirely new: Cat cafés originated in Taiwan in the late 1990s and soon gained popularity around the world.

One has recently been trying to open in Sacramento but has cited miscommunication and business costs as reasons for some delays. Meanwhile, Cat Town in Oakland — the first cat cafe to open in the United States, according to their website — has been successful in expanding their adoption capacity for sheltering cats and providing more specialized services for kittens.

Jaime Pierce told The Tribune she got the idea to open one in her home county after traveling to various cat cafes across California and other states.

“I’m, you know, very much a cat person,” Pierce said. “To be able to just walk in and grab something good to eat and drink and then just sit amongst the cats — it was just a really unique and laid back experience.”

Pierce said she hopes to open the cafe by mid summer or whenever they secure a spot.

Ultimately, the Pierces would like to open in San Luis Obispo or the Five Cities area. They are just waiting for an owner that is willing to “try this new concept,” Pierce said.

The cafe also already has several partners eager to work with it.

The business plans to partner with the Cal Poly Cat Program and the Feline Network of the Central Coast to foster around 15 to 20 cats at one time. Customers could then adopt the furry friends right from the cafe itself.

Pierce said she hoped housing some of these fosters would also allow the two animal rescue agencies to take in more cats in their own facilities.

The entire business will also be centered around creating a relaxing environment for both its patrons and its cats.

“We’ll have comfy furniture for humans, but we’ll also have some fun furniture for the cats,” Pierce said.

The plan is to have a cat lounge that is fully separate from the cafe side. The Kickstarter page said the lounge would serve as a “cat heaven” with fuzzy cat beds, wall shelves for climbing and cat trees.

Pierce didn’t have exact prices yet, but said entry into the cat lounger would likely be around $15-$17. She planned for the coffee cart to have a full espresso machine to serve lattes, macchiatos and mochas as well as drip coffee and some grab-and-go style foods like muffins, bagels or sandwiches.

The Caffeinated Cat Café’s Kickstarter campaign ends Friday, with options for supporters to receive an exclusive cat cafe t-shirt, sponsor a cat or have a private two-hour date night with cats, among other rewards.

For more information, visit thecaffeinatedcatcafe.com or email hello@thecaffeinatedcatcafe.com.