A mother and animal lover with many pets of her own, Barrett needed to change her path in life.
“To say I was unhappy with my career choice was an understatement,” she said.
An episode of “Shark Tank” helped her realize this, as did her work in rescuing cats. As is often the case with business owners, the road to opening Kitty Brew Café was long and paved with rejection. Barrett described it as tough because “I had no earthly clue what I was doing. I’m a first-generation college graduate with little support and this was an entirely different career path than I initially saw myself doing.”
After 18 months, Southwest Ohio’s first cat café finally opened on April 9, 2017.
The concept of a cat café is simple. A person may buy coffee with cat-themed names such as the tortie (mocha and peanut butter) or the purple catnip (lavender, espresso, and vanilla), non-coffee beverages such as tea or smoothies, or baked goods (as well as non-food cat memorabilia such as stickers, keychains, and pens) and, for $11, spend an hour in a separate space while cats run, play and sleep around them.
If a patron decides they want to adopt a particular cat, they may fill out an application, which will be sent to the rescue the cat came from, and within 24 hours they may take their new furry friend home.
Kitty Brew has also done events such as movie nights and various parties, although there haven’t been any events in a while.
Kitty Brew has rescue cats of all ages from Animal Friends Humane Society, Paws Cause, Hart of Cincinnati and His Hand Extended Sanctuary. The partnerships with these rescues saves the cats’ lives and makes life easier for those working at the rescues by freeing up space at their facilities.
As of the publication of this article there were 24 cats in house, although that number changes all the time. The length of time cats stay at Kitty Brew can be as short as a few minutes or as long as several months.
One of the most recognizable features of the Kitty Brew Café used to be the de facto mascot, Will Feral, a large, orange feral cat known to roam the grounds. He is no longer there; after he needed dental treatment he fell in love with two volunteers and is now “living his best indoor life.” He does, however, have his own Facebook page, “Will ‘Not So’ Feral #2148,” so fans can keep up with his exploits.
As with other benefits, Barrett ran into difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the lockdowns and staff members testing positive for COVID-19. Having little to no support from the people in charge was and is extremely frustrating,” Barrett said.
Despite all the hardships, Barrett loves owning a business and “Always meeting new people and helping them find their new best pal. No two days are alike and I still don’t know what I’m doing.” When asked about her goals for Kitty Brew, Barrett simply says, “Just keep making our little part of this planet a little brighter.”
HOW TO GO
What: Kitty Brew Café
Where: 6011 Tylersville Road, Mason
Hours: Noon to 7 p.m. Monday, Closed Tuesday, Noon to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday; Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday
More info: (513) 818-CATS or kittybrew.com
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