Angeli Rodriguez is the owner of the Witty Whisker Cat Café in St. Augustine. She was inspired to start the café after reading an article about a woman who visited a cat café in Thailand and decided to open her own in the United States.
Tell us about Witty Whisker Cat Café.
The Witty Whisker Cat Café is a fun, quirky little café in the heart of St. Augustine. Not only do we provide delicious coffee, breakfast sandwiches and beverages, we also have a wonderful space full of adoptable cats. We recently relocated to a gorgeous Victorian home on 7 Old Mission Ave.
Tell us about your background, especially as it applies to your career.
Before opening the Witty Whisker, I didn’t have any experience owning my own business or even working at a café. I had to learn on the fly. And I am so glad I took the risk. It was hard work, but it’s definitely worth it!
What do you like best about what you do?
My favorite part of owning a cat café is seeing all the kitties get adopted.
What is a typical day like for you?
I have a fantastic team that helps me take care of day-to-day operations. I am usually just at the café if we are doing a special event or if something breaks and I need to fix it.
Are you from this area originally, or did you settle here from somewhere else? If the latter, what brought you to this community?
I moved to Middleburg back in the ’90s and graduated from Clay High School. My family is originally from Puerto Rico, but I have lived close to St. Augustine for over 30 years. I love St. Augustine because it reminds me of Old San Juan.
What do you like best about living here?
I love St. Augustine's energy and vibe.
How do you like to spend your free time?
I love to spend my free time on the beach!
What's next for you and Witty Whisker Cat Café?
Hopefully, we will be here in our new space for many years to come. Please visit us! For more details about my journey, please check out my book “Drinks and Whiskers: How You Can Open a Successful Cat Café” available in hard copy or Kindle, in English or Spanish on Amazon.
