Nine Lives Cat Café - Tour Reflections and Recommendations
Explore the insights from visiting various cat cafés on a tour, including Nine Lives Cat Café. Reflect on the experiences, coffee programs, lounge admissions, and unique features observed. Discover ways to enhance offerings for visitors and feline residents alike.
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Increasing Exposure & Adoptions Pet Friendly Services of Indiana Conference April 1, 2023
Who is Nine Lives Cat Caf? Who is Nine Lives Cat Caf ? - Nine Lives (NLCC) is a for Nine Lives (NLCC) is a for- -profit cat caf that opened on January 27, 2017 profit cat caf that opened on January 27, 2017 - NLCC was purchased by Kelley & Hidetaka NLCC was purchased by Kelley & Hidetaka Niiyama Niiyama on March 10, 2020 on March 10, 2020 - Lounge admission was $3/30 minutes or $5/60 minutes; coffee program was Lounge admission was $3/30 minutes or $5/60 minutes; coffee program was lacking lacking - NLCC was partnered with one shelter NLCC was partnered with one shelter - Scheduling software was Scheduling software was PeekPro PeekPro
Cat Caf Tour 2019 Cat Caf Tour 2019 - We visited River Kitty (Evansville), Kitty Brew (Mason/Cincinnati), We visited River Kitty (Evansville), Kitty Brew (Mason/Cincinnati), PurrFect Day (Louisville) and Gem City (Dayton) prior to purchase Day (Louisville) and Gem City (Dayton) prior to purchase PurrFect - River Kitty was beautiful; we copied their church pew idea! River Kitty was beautiful; we copied their church pew idea! - Kitty Brew s owner spent 45 minutes talking with us (wow!!) Kitty Brew s owner spent 45 minutes talking with us (wow!!) - PurrFect PurrFect Day has very modern d cor; has a bar! Day has very modern d cor; has a bar! - Gem City was super clean; operated for Gem City was super clean; operated for- -profit and was starting a non profit and was starting a non- -profit profit
Reflections Post Reflections Post- -Tour Tour - NLCC s coffee program needed drastic improvement in quality/consistency NLCC s coffee program needed drastic improvement in quality/consistency and time/attention (coffee cannot be an afterthought!) and time/attention (coffee cannot be an afterthought!) - NLCC s lounge admission was too inexpensive/unsustainable NLCC s lounge admission was too inexpensive/unsustainable - NLCC s lounge needed serious updating/modernization NLCC s lounge needed serious updating/modernization - Each cat caf was independent and unique; copy the best features! Each cat caf was independent and unique; copy the best features!
Pandemic Strikes!!! Pandemic Strikes !!! - Business deal closed on March 10; we closed on March 18, 2020 Business deal closed on March 10; we closed on March 18, 2020 - Many blessings in disguise Many blessings in disguise - Hide set up an online store and gave our customers a call to action Hide set up an online store and gave our customers a call to action via social media rent money was made in 2 days! via social media rent money was made in 2 days! - Curbside delivery started on April 24; lounge reopened on May 31 Curbside delivery started on April 24; lounge reopened on May 31
Sharpening Focus/Operations Sharpening Focus/Operations - Focus for lounge changed from a cool hang to adoption Focus for lounge changed from a cool hang to adoption- -centered; 404 cats adopted in 6 months (June 1 adopted in 6 months (June 1 December 31, 2020) December 31, 2020) centered; 404 cats - Concentration on cleaning/sanitizing of lounge Concentration on cleaning/sanitizing of lounge - Great attention paid to perfecting coffee quality/consistency/offerings Great attention paid to perfecting coffee quality/consistency/offerings - More emphasis on art offerings (paintings, stickers, consignment items) More emphasis on art offerings (paintings, stickers, consignment items) - General improvement in operations from group project approach to Cats Come General improvement in operations from group project approach to Cats Come First ( First (before before customers; safety, cleanliness and welfare of cats is highest goal) customers; safety, cleanliness and welfare of cats is highest goal)
A Few Major Challenges A Few Major Challenges - Consistent issues with scheduling software (double bookings!!) Consistent issues with scheduling software (double bookings!!) - Shelter: all eggs in one basket Shelter: all eggs in one basket - Staffing Staffing - Resources Resources
Scheduling Solution Scheduling Solution - Higher Higher- -powered scheduling software ( powered scheduling software (Trytn backend of transaction backend of transaction Trytn); service fees on customer s ); service fees on customer s - Can book 30 and 60 minute admissions concurrently ( sharing assets ) Can book 30 and 60 minute admissions concurrently ( sharing assets ) - Can offer add Can offer add- -ons such as merchandise at online point/time of purchase ons such as merchandise at online point/time of purchase - Can have unpublished activities (birthday parties) and invoice customers Can have unpublished activities (birthday parties) and invoice customers
Shelter Solution Shelter Solution - Organizations sign a contract detailing responsibilities Organizations sign a contract detailing responsibilities - All in all out residencies; 2 or 3 weeks; schedule set Jan. 1 of each year All in all out residencies; 2 or 3 weeks; schedule set Jan. 1 of each year - Any cats who are not adopted during residency are picked up by the organization Any cats who are not adopted during residency are picked up by the organization - 10 10- -hour deep clean between residences hour deep clean between residences - Biggest challenge is for staff to remember how each organization operates differently Biggest challenge is for staff to remember how each organization operates differently - NLCC has 4 resident cats; each has a cult following and can increase # of cats in the lounge when NLCC has 4 resident cats; each has a cult following and can increase # of cats in the lounge when population is low population is low
Staffing Solution Staffing Solution - Higher starting wage; talk with potential employees about realities of Higher starting wage; talk with potential employees about realities of working at a cat caf (90% of work is cleaning) working at a cat caf (90% of work is cleaning) - Maximum 20 hours per week Maximum 20 hours per week - Balance barista and cat wrangling shifts Balance barista and cat wrangling shifts - Cultivate committed volunteers Cultivate committed volunteers
Resources Solution Resources Solution - Start non Start non- -profit foundation; no administrative salaries, 3 profit foundation; no administrative salaries, 3- -member board (seems to be unusual among for among for- -profit cat cafes) profit cat cafes) member board (seems to be unusual - All money donated is used for cats (food, supplements, people and cat furniture) All money donated is used for cats (food, supplements, people and cat furniture) - $20 compulsory adoption processing fee; raise additional monies through t $20 compulsory adoption processing fee; raise additional monies through t- -shirt printing shirt printing - Reliable volunteers can get special cleaning or other projects completed Reliable volunteers can get special cleaning or other projects completed - Shelters/Rescues have tight budgets and cannot always provide food/litter; non Shelters/Rescues have tight budgets and cannot always provide food/litter; non- -profit fills void profit fills void - Because of non Because of non- -profit status, we can accept physical/monetary donations and issue receipts profit status, we can accept physical/monetary donations and issue receipts
Expansion Expansion - Educational programs/feral shelter giveaway (non Educational programs/feral shelter giveaway (non- -profit funds) profit funds) - Ability to fund spay/neuters (non Ability to fund spay/neuters (non- -profit) profit) - Acquisition of event space (for Acquisition of event space (for- -profit but can gift space to non profit but can gift space to non- -profit) profit) - Curated gift shop offerings (keeps customers interested!) Curated gift shop offerings (keeps customers interested!) - Keep visiting cat cafes during travels to incorporate/cultivate new ideas Keep visiting cat cafes during travels to incorporate/cultivate new ideas - To date, over 1500 cats adopted! Average adoption rate is 7 cats/week To date, over 1500 cats adopted! Average adoption rate is 7 cats/week
Ideas for Aspiring Cat Cafes: Coffee Ideas for Aspiring Cat Cafes: Coffee - Find good recipes (Coffee Business Owners Group on Facebook is a Find good recipes (Coffee Business Owners Group on Facebook is a great resource) great resource) - Purchase a quality semi Purchase a quality semi- -automatic machine to ensure automatic machine to ensure quality/consistency without spending $$$$ on training (we use a quality/consistency without spending $$$$ on training (we use a Schaerer Schaerer) ) - Keep menu achievable Keep menu achievable
Ideas for Aspiring Cat Cafes: Adoptions Ideas for Aspiring Cat Cafes: Adoptions - Offer donation option to cover credit card processing fees Offer donation option to cover credit card processing fees - Publicize adoption stories, numbers, progress reports from adopters on social media Publicize adoption stories, numbers, progress reports from adopters on social media - Foster post Foster post- -adoption relationship with adopters builds loyalty even if adopters are not looking to adoption relationship with adopters builds loyalty even if adopters are not looking to adopt additional cats adopt additional cats - We present an Adoption Appreciation Event each year with a cocktail party, silent auction and We present an Adoption Appreciation Event each year with a cocktail party, silent auction and huge rummage sale each year); adopters can tell their story (recorded); we get permission to share huge rummage sale each year); adopters can tell their story (recorded); we get permission to share on social media on social media - Future Cat Caf Owners group & Cat Caf Owners group on Facebook are great resources Future Cat Caf Owners group & Cat Caf Owners group on Facebook are great resources
Drawbacks (NP=non Drawbacks (NP=non- -profit; FP = for profit; FP = for- -profit) profit) - NP: Keeping board small = lots of work for Owner/President but can result in very clear NP: Keeping board small = lots of work for Owner/President but can result in very clear direction/control direction/control - NP + FP: Record keeping ! NP + FP: Record keeping ! - FP: Need a Manager that understands and works on both sides of to lead daily operations FP: Need a Manager that understands and works on both sides of to lead daily operations (expensive but worth it!) (expensive but worth it!) - FP: Events are time FP: Events are time- -consuming but if successful, develop relationship & loyalty consuming but if successful, develop relationship & loyalty - Both: Must learn to delegate and trust that work will be completed satisfactorily Both: Must learn to delegate and trust that work will be completed satisfactorily
