What can be better for an avid reader than a visit to a bookstore? The variety of yet unexplored fictional worlds to choose from, the smell of the freshly printed paper, the comforting touch of the glossy book covers…
Now, it turns out that there is something even more exciting than that after all. And it’s a Canadian bookstore that has kittens roaming freely around it!
Most introverts will agree that such a place would look like a paradise on Earth! Books and cats are both among introverts’ greatest passions.
Otis & Clementine’s Books and Coffee is an unusual store in Nova Scotia, Canada, which sells books but also offers kittens for adoption! You can see countless adorable felines wandering around the store, taking a nap on the bookshelves, and being friendly interacting with the customers.
The bookstore owner Ellen Helmke collaborated with the South Paw Conservation Nova Scotia rescue group and started the adoption program in 2019. Since then, over 30 cats have been adopted.
Even though everyone who wishes to take a furry friend home needs to pay a fee and provide references, the adoption rate so far is one hundred percent, Helmke says.
At the same time, the bookstore is incredibly popular also among the cat & book lovers who are not interested in adopting a pet. They come here to buy a book, enjoy a cup of coffee, and play with lovely kittens.
Some customers have no idea that this place is also a cat home and get genuinely surprised to see cute furry creatures roaming around the store.
It turns out that combining the bookstore with a cat shelter was indeed a brilliant idea. Helmke says that many customers who intend just to get a book and have a cup of their favorite beverage end up forming a special bond with one of the kittens and later proceed with the adoption.
After all, who can resist a cute kitty?
What do you think about the idea? Would you love to have your coffee in the company of a good book and a lovely kitty?
Image credit: Otis & Clementine’s Books and Coffee Instagram
I love that places like this exist. Awesome story. I wish that more businesses could do this sort of thing.