Sounds like a win-win, right?
But before any of that can happen, Jones is asking for help from Tampa Bay to fund the project through Indiegogo. The ultimate goal for the fundraiser is $50,000, with a little over $8,000 raised so far.
Seems like a hefty sum of money, but there are some major moves to be made before St. Pete can open the doors to its very first cat cafe. The space has already been locked down in the Grand Central District, it's the following steps where Jones has hit a snag and needs a little coin from the community. The funds will go toward performing some substantial renovations and assistance in jumping through permitting and licensing hoops for both the city and state.
Although finances are tight, Jones is keeping the ball rolling, and recently announced that the City of St. Petersburg Zoning Department has given the thumbs-up to serving beer and wine while also housing cats.
This cafe keeps getting better and better.
All backers who hop on Indiegogo and donate a little bread will receive updates on Sunshine Kitty’s progress including permit approvals, construction happenings, sneak peeks of the space and opening dates.
The need for Sunshine Kitty has grown more than ever, and Jones is passionate about getting felines out of shelters and into loving homes. As of yesterday, the Humane Society of Tampa Bay has waived all adoption fees for cats and kittens due to overcrowding.
“Providing a large-scale foster home like this frees up space in the shelters,” Jones said. “I want to save all the cats, but also provide a therapeutic place where people can come, relax and enjoy the company of cats.”
Want to know everything going on with Tampa Bay's food and drink scene? Sign up for our Bites newsletter.
This article appears in Jun 13-20, 2019.