The best bookstores have a cat. You won't see a cat in a big box store. The internet was invented for sharing cat photos, but you won't hear any purrs when you download an eBook. Cats and books just go together and the cat staff at From My Shelf Books & Gifts understands this.
Hobo, a large, friendly buff colored cat whose specialty was customer service, was the store cat for almost eight years. His jobs included playing with children, delighting crazy cat people, soaking up sunshine, and spreading it to everyone he met.
It's believed that cats have nine lives, but Hobo spent them all when he was diagnosed with a tumor and passed away. Hobo was an extra special cat, and it wasn't just any cat that could take his place, but it just wasn't the same bookstore without a cat on staff.
The bookshop has hosted cats and dogs many times from the local branch of the Animal Care Sanctuary. It gives the animals a chance to socialize and to meet potential humans and forever homes. Our friend Rowan brought a sleek, black kitten for a visit one Sunday afternoon.
He quickly showed he understood service by checking in with customers, dusting the corners, and providing pet therapy to those who might be missing their pets. He let us know that he could do this, even though we didn't think we were ready for another cat, not just yet.
He did so well that we gave him a call back, but there was a catch. It appeared that this black cat had a little black and white brother. It's not every cat that can be a bookstore cat. It takes a certain personality, gentle, loving, and a bit goofy, but we didn't find just one, but two.
We decided to hold a contest to name the two newest members of the crew. We wanted something literary, but also something that fit their fun loving, eccentric personalities. Many great names were suggested, but the names chosen were Huck, for the black and white, and Finn for the black boy.
You can stop by and visit the two newest feline staff members at From My Shelf Books & Gifts at 25 Main St. in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania. Even though there are two of them, they still have big paws to fill. Come by and say hello. The best bookstores have a cat, and From My Shelf Books now has two...
Hobo smiling for the camera
Huck(the black and white one) and his brother Finn
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