The first yr that Athena Palmer labored at Chop Suey Books, her boss introduced in a cake for her birthday. WonTon, the shop’s longtime cat, wished a bit.
“He tapped me on the arm, and when I looked over, he bit my hand and then stole my cake right off my fork,” says Palmer, now one of many two retailer managers of Chop Suey’s successor, Shelf Life Books in Carytown.
WonTon handed away this week on the presumed age of 16. Arguably Richmond’s most well-known retailer cat, WonTon was a continuing presence on the store, whether or not napping within the retailer’s window, lounging atop the checkout counter or patrolling the bookshelves.
“He had the aloofness to draw millions,” says Ward Tefft, Chop Suey’s unique proprietor. “He loved being around. He did not like being held. He did not like being doted on too much, but he would follow people around.”
The beloved tuxedo cat adopted Chop Suey within the spring of 2008. As the shop’s unique location at 1317 W. Cary St. had minimal local weather controls, it was widespread for workers to maintain the again door and home windows open throughout heat climate. One day, WonTon, who was lower than a yr old, strolled in by way of the again door and commenced reporting for obligation. Chop Suey workers finally placed a collar on WonTon and let him go about his business.
When Chop Suey closed its unique location in 2008 and consolidated operations at its Chop Suey Tuey retailer in Carytown, WonTon made the transfer.
He was the topic of fixed questions. Because of his good bowling pin form whereas sitting, prospects typically requested if he was pregnant. When WonTon napped within the window, folks would ask if the cat was alive, or if he was a stuffed cat.
“For some reason, they thought that we would have a dead cat on purpose in our window,” Tefft says.
The questions have been so frequent and predictable that one worker created a WonTon Bingo card that listed these inquiries. Staff would fill out the cardboard on busy Saturdays.
“He’s a perfect chill cat,” Tefft says. “He wasn’t necessarily a lover. He wouldn’t come lay on our laps, but he would lay on the counter just to be in close proximity.”
WonTon’s notoriety grew by way of “Caturday” Facebook posts, the place author and longtime Chop Suey worker Andrew Blossom would current candid pictures of WonTon each Saturday. When The New York Times profiled Chop Suey in 2019, pictures of WonTon featured prominently, together with above the masthead for its Arts part. WonTon additionally appeared in books and calendars devoted to bookstore cats.
“He was the best,” says Blossom, who now lives in Spokane, Washington. “He was a coworker, a colleague, a devoted companion, a commentator, a sounding board, a wanderer, a homebody, a snob. Over time, he became a mascot, a Richmond icon, a crotchety old man. Always, always he was a great pal.”
The Carytown retailer’s former entrance featured a painted model of WonTon with the banner “Home of the Caturday Miracle.” The again of the shop had a mural that learn “We Heart Wonton!” The retailer rebranded as Shelf Life Books earlier this yr.
Though fame by no means phased WonTon, he nonetheless loved being the focal point. When Chop Suey introduced director John Waters to the Byrd Theatre for the primary time in 2015, WonTon clearly didn’t wish to be upstaged. In what’s been decided a “hunting accident,” WonTon broke his jaw that day after apparently lunging at a hen from an ideal peak, lacking, and hitting the pavement together with his chin.
“Over the years, he would show signs that looked like he was on his last leg, and then he would bounce back and be his normal chill self,” says Tefft, noting that WonTon had been hit by a automotive previous to his tenure at Chop Suey. “He definitely cashed in his nine lives, and maybe had a few extra bonus rounds.”
Though he would possibly play fetch with a ball of receipt paper or nuzzle a face or two, WonTon by no means wished to appear like he loved the love.
“He really was such a ham. He acted grumpy and disinterested a lot of the time, but he loved the attention,” Palmer says. “He was such a wonderful little cat, such a joy to hear his little smokers meow. He meowed like he’d been smoking a pack a day for 40 years.”
When Chop Suey modified fingers in January 2022, Tefft says it simply made sense for WonTon to remain on the retailer. Besides, Tefft had cats at home, and WonTon was a confirmed solitary cat.
“I couldn’t see him existing in any place other than the beloved spotlight of a place where people could come to see him and he could show something just north of disdain for their attention,” Tefft says.
After a decade and a half on the job, WonTon retired earlier this yr after coaching his tuxedo cat interns Page and Mylar. He lived out his final months on the home of Shelf Life house owners Chris and Berkley McDaniel.
In WonTon’s ultimate hours he encountered a vet tech he’d actually left an impression on again when she was 9 years old: WonTon had bitten her.
“He was a great guy. He was a steady companion that was just a singular character,” Tefft says. “He was well loved in Richmond and beyond.”
