A brand-new coffee shop has actually opened in Kelowna — however this one uses a lot more than simply coffee and baked items.
“This is a place where you can come and hang out with rescued and adoptable cats,” said coffee shop owner Ashley Karnes.
Called Catelowna, the cat coffee shop is simply the 4th in all of B.C.
“There are two in Vancouver and then there’s one on Vancouver Island,” Karnes informed Global News.
The coffee shop is a dream become a reality for Karnes, who integrated her enthusiasm for animals and cooking.
“As a cook, I was just trying to work out how I could work with animals,” said Karnes.
“And so the light bulb moment went off and I thought ‘Well, I’ll just have a cafe next to an adoption center.’”
Years in the making, the downtown coffee shop formally opened on Thursday, and Hanna Hamaguchi was the coffee shop’s very first consumer.
“Everything is so cute, there are so many scratching posts, all these shelves on the wall,” she said.
Hamaguchi said she wished to experience the cat coffee shop in part since her cat doesn’t agree other felines.
“I get to interact with more cats, so exciting,” she said.
The cat room includes climbing up structures, suspension-like cat bridges and a lot of setting down areas.
“We designed the place so that it could be the ultimate cat playground,” Karnes said. “So they could run, jump and have lots of places to hide.”
Located on Ellis Street, Catelowna presently has 30 cats that have actually originated from a variety of animal rescue companies.
Customers can can be found in and take pleasure in a cup of coffee while taking pleasure in the business of cats.
They can likewise adopt them.
“Whether you just want to come and have a coffee and hang out with some furry friends or whether you’re looking for a new family member and you’re actually actively looking to adopt one of these beautiful kitties, then you can come here, check us out and come and experience them,” said Karnes.
Karnes said the coffee shop is likewise created for individuals who enjoy cats however can’t have them.
“What if your partner is allergic or you live in a condominium or apartment complex where you’re not allowed to have pets? You can come and still enjoy the company of cats,” she said.
Catelowna needed to get unique approval from Interior Health concerning health and wellness guidelines, such as keeping cats and their hair far from cooking locations.
Karnes said they keep them different with a set of double doors.
Catelowna takes walk-ins, however you can book to prevent frustration in case of a hectic day.
It costs $16 to spend an hour with the cats.
© 2023 Global News, a department of Corus Entertainment Inc.
