Beware of Falling Cats!

   

   "Beware of Falling Cats!" reads the bright yellow sign hanging from the ceiling. A young brunette woman wearing oval glasses and a knitted pink sweater approaches me,

    "Let me know if you need help finding anything," she assured with a smile.  She is searching through the new inventory they just got in. She grabs a children's picture book and a smile forms on her face. 

      "This is the most rewarding part of the job," she joyfully explained. "Getting to help children pick out books; to help them find their love of reading. To grow the love of reading. It is such a good feeling," she passionately spoke. The walls surrounding her are full of books. From every wall to everywhere in between, thousands of books fill the room. Romance, horror, science-fiction, and every other genre you could imagine, you can find at Cupboard Maker Book Store. 

   "What an interesting name," pondered an elderly customer.

   "Yes," she chuckled, "Michelle, the owner, took over this store after her husband. Her husband had a cupboard maker store here, and Michelle began selling books here with just a single shelf. Though her business flourished, and she ended up taking over the entire store. That is how we became Cupboard Maker Book Store," she explained. 

       The two continued chatting and filled the air with laughs. To the left of them, a young girl gives attention to the gray Siamese cat that rubs against her jeans.

Piper!

    "Count Zakula!" The girl exclaims. All of the bookstore cats have their own nicknames; Zak's is Count Zakula, Mouse's is Prince Fluffy Tail, and Annika's is Queen Annika. In fact, the store even has its own Fiats with each of the cat's nicknames on them! Though, these cats aren't the only ones in the store. Zak, Mouse, and Annika are the permanent bookstore cats. However, Cupboard Maker Bookstore also has an adoption contract with Castaway Critters. Through this contract, they have gotten over two hundred cats' new homes. After each adoption, they not only take a picture of the cat with its forever owner, but they hang a picture of the cat around the store. This way, the memory of the furry friend stays with the store forever. Currently, at the store, a brown Tabby cat named Piper awaits her future family. This young feline was found on the streets in a nearby city. Unfortunately, the sweet girl suffered chemical burns on her back and is still missing some of her fur as a result. Though, the hatred she faced did not turn her cold. She still shows every person who approaches her love through head rubs and meows.

Painting of Zak

     Cats and books are not the only things Cupboard Maker Bookstore is known for. They are also known for their art. On the outside of the building, paintings of books fill the wall and capture the attention of nearby customers. On the inside, many paintings of cats, books, and more fill the shelves. This store is full of so many different forms of art, all of which are unique. This is what makes Cupboard Maker Bookstore as successful as it is; they have something for everyone. No matter what your acquired taste is, you will find it here. 

      Another piece of this store that makes it so unique is its book clubs. These clubs consist of teen, fantasy, mystery, romance, and more. There is such a wide variety of options that you are certain to find the one for you. These clubs not only grow and expand the love of reading but allow you to meet new people with similar interests to you. Furthermore, the store also holds book signings for local authors to get recognized. They tend to hold one or two book signings a month, each including three different authors. Each signing has a theme as well, further allowing customers to meet people with similar interests.

    Michelle, the one who put all of this together, is known as the "inventory system" at the store. This is due to the fact that she runs everything herself. She sees every single book before it even makes it to the shelf. This way, when customers need help with recommendations or finding a book, she knows exactly what they have and where it will be. The store is made up of 6,500 square feet, holding over 120,000 books, all of which she has seen firsthand. The store is open every single day of the year, excluding only Christmas Day, Thanksgiving, Easter, and New Year's Day. On Monday through Friday, they are open from 10:00 am until 8:00 pm, and on Sundays, they are open from 11 am until 5 pm. These long hours make it possible for almost all customers to find time to come in, despite what their work schedule may look like.

    Another part of Cupboard Makers that makes the store so unique, is its catwalk! This is where the "Beware of Falling Cats!" sign comes from. Michelle installed a wooden ramp so that the cats can climb and walk on top of the bookshelves. This way if one of the cats is overstimulated, agitated, or just needs to get some space from the customers, they are able to do so. 

Cat Walk

    Furthermore, Cupboard Makers' social media presence also makes the store so unique. On the social media platform Tik Tok, the store has over 110,000 followers and 2,500,000 likes. The use of this platform attracts visitors from all over the country to come to visit the store and see the cats. Along with Tik Tok, the store also has an Instagram presence. On this account, they post adoption updates, upcoming events, and polls for customers to interact with. The store has over 7,000 followers on Instagram and is working towards 10,000.

    Cupboard Makers not only has their hired staff who control inventory and customer service,  but they also allow volunteers to come and work with the cats. These volunteers usually work or associate with Castaway Critters and have foster cats of their own. They not only come in and entertain the cats but educate customers and further help with the adoption process.

    Overall, CupBoard Maker Bookstore has become a very successful business in the last twenty-four years due to its wide variety of options. Selling both new and used books, hardback and paperback books, and every genre or age group you could imagine. You are guaranteed to find what you are looking for here. Though books aren't the only attraction at the store, many customers come in to see the cats as well. Consequently, the inclusivity, art, and adorable furry friends keep customers coming back to CupBoard Maker Bookstore.