While coffee shops have become streamlined and largely drive-thru oriented, they can still be an environment that fosters conversation, community, or at least a comfortable spot to read or get some studying done.
One unique spot in Watkinsville is leaning into that experience — with the help of some furry friends.
Entangled Cat Cafe opened on Mar. 24 at 6 Court St. right beside the Oconee County Courthouse, and its hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday through Friday. Though it’s possible to breeze through to pick up some java and even something for breakfast or lunch, guests will be hard pressed not to stay a little longer to watch the shop’s six cats, or even book an hour hang-out session with them.
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As a means of earning a living through their love of cats, owner Kristy Towler and her husband first launched Entangled as an online retailer of cat toys and cat-themed products in 2022. After visiting cat cafes in other cities, Towler observed that most of them just let the cats lounge around and sleep most of the time.
“Cats don’t need to be encouraged to sleep,” Towler told the Banner-Herald. “We wanted to create a place that was like a playground for cats, and that’s how we came up with the idea for our business.”
Towler signed the lease on their Watkinsville location in March 2023 and spent the year remodeling a severely water-damaged space that previously housed a massage parlor. In December, Towler sent a local artist’s cat-shaped charcuterie board to The Today Show, which featured the item on the air. Entangled’s cafe and gift market are front and center when guests enter the brick-and-mortar store.
Entangled currently has six foster cats that are available for adoption, and Towler said that more are expected to populate the shop in the coming weeks. Though the cafe is free to enter and hang out in to watch the cats play in one of the observation areas, those who want to visit the lounge area can do so for $15 per hour ($12 for students). There’s a TV, couches, and even a nook for taking selfies with the animals.
“We had 5,000 followers on Instagram before we even opened, and we had to turn some folks away yesterday because the shop was so packed.” said Towler. “I think it’s been an exciting thing for the community here in Watkinsville.”
To check out the online shop and reserve some lounge time with the cats at Entangled, visit entangledcatcafe.com.
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