Coming Soon: A Cat Café and Bookstore is Opening in Boston, Massachusetts

Cats are the best thing in the world.

Coffee is the second best thing in the world.

Together, they're unstoppable, and have inspired a concept this writer loves: cat cafés.

Cat cafés are a fairly new invention, originating in the late 1990s and popping up all over the world. Visitors typically pay a cover fee to spend time in a room filled with cute resident kitties (who are sometimes up for adoption, courtesy of a nearby shelter or SPCA). In addition to petting and playing with the cats, you can also enter a separate room to order food, drinks, and whatever else the 'café' part of the experience offers.

New England has a handful of cat cafés, but not many. That's why we were thrilled to hear that a new one will soon open its doors in Boston, Massachusetts.

Introducing A Sanctuary Cafe, located at 80 Charles Street in the historic neighborhood of Beacon Hill.

What is A Sanctuary Cafe?

We've already said that cat cafés are a wonderful concept, but A Sanctuary Café is taking things a step further. Besides being a home for resident cats and offering locally-sourced beverages and baked goods, this place will also have a micro-bookstore. Goodness, this café was made for yours truly.

The owner's kitty, Gryff, excels in customer service and will happily provide you with book recommendations.

What makes A Sanctuary Café stand out even more is the passion owner Brittany Baker has for serving the community.

She hopes to provide a "truly inclusive and welcoming space where all identities (and abilities) feel accepted and embraced," according to the café's website. Every book purchased from the bookstore is matched with a book donation to a Boston Public Schools student, the resident kitties are rescues from Boston-area shelters, and that's just the beginning. You can read more about the business' community involvement here.

When is A Sanctuary Cafe Opening?

The café's website currently says that they are opening in phases, starting this month. Click here to sign up for their newsletter, which will keep you in-the-know about all opening updates and when you can make reservations for the cat lounge.

To learn more about A Sanctuary Cafe, click here.