PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Purrington’s Cat Lounge, the cat café that’s been giving feline lovers a place to sip and snuggle since 2015, announced Wednesday that it will close in November.
In a post on social media, owners Garrett Simpson and Helen Harris wrote that they made the decision after much thought and careful consideration.
“We have put our whole hearts and efforts into this small business and are very proud of its many great successes, including helping to build this community and finding permanent, loving homes for hundreds of wonderful cats,” they wrote.
Simpson explained a bit more to KOIN, saying the small business landscape has changed a lot since the couple took over Purrington’s in 2019. He said it’s become harder and harder for them to make their vision a reality.
They’ve poured their hearts and souls into the cat café and Simpson said not being able to operate it the way they want to feels disingenuous.
Like a cat with nine lives, the couple hopes the business will live on with a new owner. After all, Simpson and Harris are already the business’ second owner.
The cat café provides a safe place for cats to stay while they wait to find homes. It’s also a place where people can go to find a cat they’d like to adopt, spend time with pets if they can’t own one themselves, or grieve the loss of a loved animal companion.
Simpson said someone who has a heart to serve both animals and humans would be a great candidate to purchase the business.
“It is an honor to serve, and we want someone who will continue what we have been doing here, just as we did when we took over the business,” he said.
As for the cats, any that haven’t been adopted by Purrington’s final day will return to the Cat Adoption Team, the non-profit animal rescue that provides Purrington’s with its fantastic felines.
The Cat Adoption team said it’s loved partnering with Purrington’s Cat Lounge over the years and it is eager to speak to anyone who’s considering buying the business.
It said the closure shouldn’t have a significant negative impact on its adoptions because of its other adoption venues.
“Purrington’s has been a wonderful meeting place for cat lovers and a way for more people to learn about pet adoption, and that may be the biggest loss for the community if the cafe closes,” the Cat Adoption Team said in a statement.
Simpson said he doesn’t foresee selling the business to someone who doesn’t have plans to continue operating it as a cat cafe. He and Harris would rather walk away than sell it to someone who does not see it as a labor of love.
After November, the couple plans to rest, recharge, and visit family and friends they haven’t seen for years.
When asked if they’d ever open another cat lounge in the future, Simpson said, “You never know. We were involved with animal welfare before Purrington’s, and we will continue to do so after we close our doors for the final time.