New Jersey's First Cat Cafe To Open In Asbury Park

ASBURY PARK, NJ - Yet another reason to visit Asbury Park! New Jersey's first-ever "cat cafe" is planning on opening there next month.

The cafe is called Catsbury Park and is located at 708 Cookman Avenue (across from the Showroom and very close to the train station). It's owned by Asbury Park resident D.J. Bornschein and managed by Jamie Nichols. Bornschein told a weekly newspaper in Asbury Park, The Coaster, that he got the idea after visiting a cat sanctuary in Hawaii.

The cafe will serve coffee, tea and hot and cold snacks — and have adoptable cats roaming the indoors. So you can sit back, enjoy a cup of tea and pet an adorable, snuggly lap cat.

“The café will help fund our cat rescue and adoption and run like a stand-alone business,” Bornschein told the paper. “You don’t have to hang with our cats to have some tea or avocado toast.”

The cafe has partnered with the Camden County Animal Shelter and the Monmouth County SPCA to supply the cats, all of which are looking for forever homes. The lounge area where the cats roam will be separated from the café by a glass wall, so you don't have to worry about animal germs mixing with food.

Snacks and drinks will be supplied by local Asbury Park businesses, the owners said.

"Our lounge will mimic a home, let 12 cats flourish, and give guests and potential adopters a true feel for a cat’s personality," said Nichols.

According to the article, the concept of a cat cafe originated in Taiwan and then spread to Japan, which has hundreds of them. In the U.S., the first cat cafe opened in New York City. There is also one in San Francisco, and throughout the U.S. Catsbury Park will be New Jersey's first.

Read the original article here.