Eastern Consolidated has arranged a 10-year, 1,660 s/f retail lease at 38-40 Grand Street in SoHo for Little Lions, a teahouse and cat sanctuary designed to calm the nerves of stressed out New Yorkers by allowing them to socialize with a cat or kitten while sipping gourmet coffee or tea.
Exclusive leasing agent James Famularo, Senior Director of Retail Leasing for Eastern Consolidated, represented the landlord, who happens to be a pet lover, a fact that helped Famularo secure the lease four weeks after signing the exclusive. Adam Malitz, an Associate with Lee & Associates, represented Little Lions.
“This is a very interesting concept and the landlord was intrigued and excited at the opportunity of having one of the city’s first cat cafés in his building,” Famularo said.
“The property is ideal for Little Lions because it’s divided into two separate spaces. Little Lions will sell gourmet tea and coffee, as well as baked goods and a wide array of cat themed cookies and cakes in one space, while the frolicking cats and kittens will be visible behind a glass wall in the other space.”
Little Lions will charge guests an entrance fee to visit the homeless felines, which will be provided by Anjellicle Cats Rescue, and plans to target both local residents and tourists visiting New York City.
Cat cafes originated in Taiwan in 1998 and have become popular in Tokyo where at least 40 cat cafes are operating. Other cat cafes are located in Paris, London, and parts of the United States.
