Two Toronto-based entrepreneurs think they have the purrfect idea for a new business.
Self-proclaimed cat lovers Jeff Ro and Ashkan Rahim have launched a crowd funding campaign as they work to raise $70,000 to help open a cat café in the city’s west end.
The business, tentatively named Pet Me Meow, would operate like your typical coffee shop with two exceptions — there would be loads of cats on hand for latte and Americano sipping patrons to pet and play with and much like the board game cafes that have populated the city in recent years a cover fee would be charged upon entrance.
“I think there is a real sort of cat craze in society right now. If you go anywhere online you find tonnes of cat pictures and cat memes, so I think there is a huge market for this,” Ro told CP24.com, noting that cat cafés are already common throughout Japan. “Who doesn’t love cats?”
Ro said planning is still in the early stages for the business but a partnership has already been formed with Toronto Cat Rescue, who would lend cats to the café.
Those cats could then be adopted from Toronto Cat Rescue should patrons fall in love.
“We have two fundamental missions here. One is to create an extremely fun space where Torontonians can come and spend time with cats and engage in activities that may not normally be found in cafes but we also want to create an interactive and nurturing space that will help stray cats find their forever home,” Ro told CP24.com.
Regulatory hurdles may exist
Since launching 24 hours ago, the crowd funding campaign has raised about $3,700 with a deadline of June 13 to hit its final goal.
Though some regulatory hurdles could exist with Ontario’s Health Protection and Promotion Act preventing business from preparing or selling food in any place where live animals reside, Ro said he is confident those challenges can be overcome, possibly by having a separate room which food and beverages are sold from.
“We are working closely with Toronto Public Health and we are in an open discussion with our legal team to make sure we are following all the appropriate guidelines and steps,” he told CP24.com.
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