This article has been updated since it first appeared in print.
Chai Tea, one of roughly 10 foster cats available for adoption at The Purrfect Bean (Photo courtesy the Purrfect Bean)
Powhatan resident Michelle Langham counts two dogs, five donkeys, nine chickens and 13 cats (eight of those are kittens being fostered) in her home’s herd. “My husband and I moved from [Northern Virginia] because it was always my dream to have some land and rescue farm animals,” Langham explains. “It’s a lot,” she admits.
But it didn’t stop there. On Aug. 15, Langham will open The Purrfect Bean at 214 Lombardy St. in the Fan, a combination coffee shop and cat rescue where patrons can mix and mingle with ready-to-be-adopted kitties. The shop sells beverages and vegan treats on the ground floor and hosts roughly 10 cats in a second-floor lounge.
When Langham moved to Powhatan in 2022, she started working for the Richmond SPCA and formed the idea for a pet adoption cafe like those in other cities. Her experience in animal welfare helped bring the business to life.
“Working with animals has always been my passion, but there’s not many jobs where you can work with animals and still make money,” Langham says. “So, I did some research, and then the cat cafe popped into my mind. This is one of the only business models that helps animals and you can make a living wage.”
The cats are fostered through a partnership with Purring Hearts VA, a local cat rescue organization, and reside on the shop’s top floor; visiting requires online registration in advance and a $20 cover charge ($25 on weekends), which pays for food and foster supplies. Adoptions are organized through Purring Hearts, and interest forms are available in-store.
Langham says that while the cat theme will be the main draw to The Purrfect Bean, she’s just as proud of the menu offerings. Almost everything at the cafe comes from local vendors, including loose-leaf teas from The Spice & Tea Exchange, coffee from Afterglow Coffee Cooperative and handmade pastel mugs from People Via Plants.
“I want a lot of the money that we bring in to help support other small businesses,” Langham says. “I don’t want it to go to big corporations or companies that don’t align with our values. I’m also trying to work with women-owned companies.”
Langham’s ultimate goal, she says, is to connect cats with their new best friends to impart some of the joy her pets have provided her.
“One of the things that’s really important to me is, when I was in college, I went through a lot of mental health issues. A lot of people that age are trying to figure out themselves, and in that process, it can be really scary,” she says. “If we can be a place where people come and meet cats and feel better, or even adopt that cat through this process, I want to be able to help cats and help people.”
