HomeUploadUpload DirectHotlinkRandomAbouttheme toggle
Expand

DC's First Cat Café Opens (No Thanks to Regulators)

Views:917
@ReasonVids

Even though Kanchan Singh is a born optimist, there were moments when it looked like her dream of starting Washington, DC's first cat café would never get its paws off the ground.

Singh, 24, got the idea for her first business venture while backpacking in Thailand. Walking among the temples and medieval city walls in the city of Chiang Mai, Singh stepped into Catmosphere, a wildly popular bakery that doubles as a petting zoo for cats.

Singh, who fancies felines and has an aptitude for business, pounced at the prospect of bringing a cat café to America. She partnered with the Washington Humane Society, which enthusiastically agreed to provide an unlimited supply of adoptable cats. When the local news media discovered her business plan, citywide anticipation for Crumbs & Whiskers reached a fevered pitch.

But the city authorities weren’t so enthusiastic. Singh said the Office of Zoning "couldn't classify us, because nothing like this has ever existed before." Even then, she faced steep legal costs and arcane bureaucracies to navigate. "You show them that you're going to be using state-of-the art equipment for the café," she said. "You prove to them that you're going to have the highest standards possible for animal care."

Singh says others have tried to start cat cafés, but none survived scrutiny from the Department of Health. Like zoning, the Department of Health had to formulate a unique set of regulations for a business that defied all previous categorizations. Permitting requirements meant five-figure costs and bureaucratic delays. "Eventually they're like 'Wow, we're really going to have to work with this person, because they do not stop calling and they do not stop emailing,' " Singh said.

All this was months before the first employee had been hired, let alone a lease signed or catnip purchased. Where would all the money come from?

Since Kanchan had already put her own savings into the venture, it would take a stunningly successful Kickstarter campaign to give Crumbs & Whiskers a chance. To satisfy the Department of Health, she also agreed to nix the idea of serving food, and instead partner with a bakery across the street.

In March, ReasonTV caught up with Kanchan Singh on the most important day of her life as a cat entrepreneur. She was arriving at her final meeting with the Office of Zoning to hear a decision that would make or break her dreams of bringing cuteness and caffeine to the nation's capital.

Runs about four minutes.

Produced, shot, and edited by Todd Krainin. Music by Lee Rosevere.

Go to http://reason.com/reasontv/2015/06/19/cat-cafe-opens for downloadable versions and subscribe to ReasonTV's YouTube Channel to receive notifications when new material goes live.

cat café (building function)
,
cat (animal)
,
reason (magazine)
,
libertarianism (political ideology)
,
kanchan singh
,
crumbs & whiskers
,
coffeehouse (industry)
,
public health (medical specialty)
,
zoning
,
regulation (organization sector)
    Thumbnail for 5 More Drug PSAs That Tried to Scare the Sh*t Out of Us (But Didn't)3:05
    5 More Drug PSAs That Tried to Scare the Sh*t Out of Us (But Didn't)
    ReasonVids
    971 views
    Thumbnail for Flyover beauties0:38
    Flyover beauties
    bestofvoatxyz
    401 views
    Thumbnail for A10 dodging anti-aircraft fire1:02
    A10 dodging anti-aircraft fire
    bestofupgoat
    247 views
    Thumbnail for This is not "nice". This is not "good sportsmanship". This is pansy ass nonsense. If you can't deal with mishaps as a pitcher, get benched.0:58
    This is not "nice". This is not "good sportsmanship". This is pansy ass nonsense. If you can't deal with mishaps as a pitcher, get benched.
    bestofsaidit
    834 views
    Thumbnail for Exploring Structs in the Julia programming language with Logan Kilpatrick | The Julia Programming Language7:46
    Exploring Structs in the Julia programming language with Logan Kilpatrick | The Julia Programming Language
    invidious
    332 views
    Thumbnail for What Happened to Kids in Cages? | Grunt Speak Highlights5:22
    What Happened to Kids in Cages? | Grunt Speak Highlights
    Terrence Popp
    1451 views
    Thumbnail for حرائق أمريكا: مفاجأة صادمة تكشفها الأقمار الصناعية عن حجم الكارثة المدمرة | Ahmose Economy اقتصاد أحمس4:33:57
    حرائق أمريكا: مفاجأة صادمة تكشفها الأقمار الصناعية عن حجم الكارثة المدمرة | Ahmose Economy اقتصاد أحمس
    invidious
    161 views
    Thumbnail for Autistic Reporter, Michael Falk, Enchanted By Prison's Rigid Routine | The Onion2:20
    Autistic Reporter, Michael Falk, Enchanted By Prison's Rigid Routine | The Onion
    invidious
    437 views
    Thumbnail for Over 7% of covid jab recipients had to be hospitalized following the shot. So much for reducing hospitalizations. 🤣2:06.525999999999996
    Over 7% of covid jab recipients had to be hospitalized following the shot. So much for reducing hospitalizations. 🤣
    bestofsaidit
    629 views
    Thumbnail for The U.S. Patent System is Broken: Derek Khanna on Trolling and Low-Quality Patents14:43
    The U.S. Patent System is Broken: Derek Khanna on Trolling and Low-Quality Patents
    ReasonVids
    896 views
    Thumbnail for No Child Left Alone: Getting the Government Out of Parenting12:13
    No Child Left Alone: Getting the Government Out of Parenting
    ReasonVids
    819 views
    Thumbnail for MI Auto Accident Attorneys |  Goodman Acker Law Firm | Goodman Acker P.C.0:31
    MI Auto Accident Attorneys | Goodman Acker Law Firm | Goodman Acker P.C.
    invidious
    333 views
    Thumbnail for الحلقة 1| L'aprés match | Telvza TV تلفزة1:00
    الحلقة 1| L'aprés match | Telvza TV تلفزة
    invidious
    169 views
    Thumbnail for Peter Bagge on Comics, Politics, and His New Book "Reset"8:45
    Peter Bagge on Comics, Politics, and His New Book "Reset"
    ReasonVids
    984 views
    Thumbnail for UFC Fighter Bryce Mitchell says he won’t be vaccinating his kid & wants to homeschool him so he doesn’t end up gay and communist2:31
    UFC Fighter Bryce Mitchell says he won’t be vaccinating his kid & wants to homeschool him so he doesn’t end up gay and communist
    bestofupgoat
    433 views
    Thumbnail for Desperate Mayors Compete for Amazon HQ23:48
    Desperate Mayors Compete for Amazon HQ2
    ReasonVids
    923 views
    Thumbnail for Should Women Be Allowed to Rent Their Wombs?6:38
    Should Women Be Allowed to Rent Their Wombs?
    ReasonVids
    927 views
    Thumbnail for 2D Top Down Shooting POINT & CLICK Unity Tutorial | BMo13:54
    2D Top Down Shooting POINT & CLICK Unity Tutorial | BMo
    tech.topic
    618 views
    Thumbnail for The Black Plague3:58
    The Black Plague
    bestofupgoat
    142 views
    Thumbnail for Remy: Surfin' USA (Beach Boys Lockdown Parody)1:51
    Remy: Surfin' USA (Beach Boys Lockdown Parody)
    ReasonVids
    931 views
    Thumbnail for IJ's Chip Mellor Discusses Government Mandated Licensing With John Stossel (1 of 3)9:58
    IJ's Chip Mellor Discusses Government Mandated Licensing With John Stossel (1 of 3)
    IJvids
    956 views
    Thumbnail for The 5 Best Libertarian TV Shows Ever2:56
    The 5 Best Libertarian TV Shows Ever
    ReasonVids
    848 views
    Thumbnail for V0atmage goes picketing1:15
    V0atmage goes picketing
    bestofupgoat
    112 views
    Thumbnail for Citizens in Florida fight for their free speech.  ABC-271:53
    Citizens in Florida fight for their free speech. ABC-27
    IJvids
    972 views
    Thumbnail for grocery haul!! and a little bit of cooking | toomuchzozo12:45
    grocery haul!! and a little bit of cooking | toomuchzozo
    invidious
    552 views

points

Permalink
Reply
cat café (building function)
,
cat (animal)
,
reason (magazine)
,
libertarianism (political ideology)
,
kanchan singh
,
crumbs & whiskers
,
coffeehouse (industry)
,
public health (medical specialty)
,
zoning
,
regulation (organization sector)
TOS  •  Add Keywords  •  Donate  •   Analytics  •   DMCA  •   Puzzle