New Cat Cafe in Kaimuki Opening Next Week
A new cat cafe in Honolulu is about to open its doors. Popoki and Tea will be opening on Thursday, February 13 at 6 pm at 3424 Waialae Avenue in Kaimuki.
Advance bookings are already sold out for the 6 pm time slots on February 13 and 14, for “Galentine’s Day” and Valentine’s Day, respectively. Bookings are still available for 7:30 pm on both days.
Because of expected high attendance for the three-day weekend, guests are encouraged to save their spots in advance for guaranteed entry at popokiandtea.com. A maximum of 16 people at a time will be admitted into the cafe. Walk-in spots will be available on a limited basis.
The hours will be:
- Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays: 5-9 pm
- Saturdays: 11 am-9 pm
- Sundays: 11 am-5 pm
Hours are subject to change as this new business learns about its customer demand.
Like most cat cafes in the United States, Popoki and Tea will house rescue cats until they are adopted out. The cats are from the local foster-based animal rescue KAT Charities. To enter the “cat lounge,” guests pay a contribution that goes toward the care and housing for the 15-20 cats.
Popoki and Tea will be leveraging partnerships with other Kaimuki businesses to avoid food preparation within the cat cafe. Popoki and Tea has partnered with next-door neighbor Restaurant XO to prepare its exclusive menu of milk teas and iced teas. Cat-themed cookies from We Heart Cake Company will also be available, as well as Popoki and Tea merchandise and gifts. And exclusive, premium cat-themed coffee items from The Curb will be available on weekends.
The 700-square-foot space is next door to pet supply boutique The Public Pet, where Popoki and Tea debuted as a once-a-month cat cafe pop-up in June 2018. Over the course of a year and a half, Popoki and Tea helped find homes for more than 80 kittens and cats from independent fosters and small local animal rescues.
The cat cafe aims to be a safe haven for potential adopters; animal lovers who live in non-pet-friendly rentals; and others looking for a respite from modern daily life and lots of photo opportunities.
Animal cafes have been a mainstay in Asia for about 20 years. Japan has about 150 cat cafes, while the U.S. now has more than 70.
