By Papa’s Cat Cafe has announced plans to permanently close this summer.
According to a Facebook post, the owners decided not to renew the lease and close on June 18 to focus more on family. “We feel it is time to to close the cat cafe chapter of our lives,” the post says. “Words cannot express how grateful we are for the community support that kept us going the past 5 years.”
While the cat cafe has announced its closure, Barnie’s Place Feline Rescue, the cafe’s current partner, is working to keep the cafe open and take over management by making it a nonprofit. To help make this a reality, a GoFundMe has been set up to raise money to purchase the business. “Please consider making a donation today so that the cats of Barnie’s Place have a public place to reside and our community has a place to visit cats in their natural habitat,” the fundraiser states.
Papa’s Cat Cafe is backing this takeover, saying in a recent post that it is proud to promote and support its rescue partners. “They are working hard to make it a reality, and we will give them assistance with that transition,” the post says. Within 24 hours of announcing the closure, Barnie’s raised nearly a third of the fundraising goal. As of Thursday morning, the group had raised nearly $11,000 of the $30,000 needed.
To make a donation or learn more about the potential takeover, click here.
