🐱 ☕ Unique Cat Café Experience in Downtown Concord

Contributor: Jamie Richardson

A visit to Mac Tabby Cat Cafe is all about “Good energy, local coffee, craft beer, and CATS!”

What’s so special about Mac Tabby Cat Cafe? The CATS of course! Where else can you take a latte into a room with 12 free-roaming felines?!

So, what can you expect when you visit Mac Tabby Cafe? Twelve adoptable cats roam the CAT LOUNGE, which you can access for a small fee, and they are ready to play! The Café is in a separate area and offers smoothies, iced and hot lattes, kombuchas, lemonades, teas, sodas, beer, wine, ciders and seltzers. They also have locally made pastries from Beard Bakes

Opened on December 16, 2017, Mac Tabby Cat Café was Charlotte’s first cat cafe and only the second in the state of North Carolina. In 2018, the opportunity for a new location within Charlotte presented itself, and that February they moved their Charlotte location to the heart of NoDa: Charlotte’s Arts and Entertainment District.

• Owner Lori Konawalik started thinking about a second location in 2020 and plans were starting to fall into place…until March, when the pandemic hit.

Lori said, “I will never forget the feeling of disbelief and fear of the unknown as we closed our doors in NoDa and walked out of an empty dark space on March 25, 2020. No cats. No customers. No idea what would happen next… every small business owner felt the weight. A small business is an extension of the owner’s heart, and it was heartbreaking for many.”

With a lot of faith, commitment, and community support they were able to open the doors at their Charlotte location again on May 22, 2020.

Welcome to Concord!

Next up was Mac Tabby Concord, opening on Market Street in Downtown Concord on May 1, 2021. “We were drawn to Downtown Concord because we felt, and still feel, that it’s a hidden gem! There is a community of wonderful small business owners who hustle daily for a dream, and because of that, there is comradery and energy which is palpable. The local people are so kind, the city is beautiful, and there is growth happening all around! We wanted to be a part of the fabric of such a great place!”

😉 Cats have been Lori’s calling and passion for over 40 years, stemming all the way back to early childhood. She shared, “I had a connection with cats since before I could talk. My dad always said that as a little baby, my entire demeanor would change if a cat was present… like a light went off in my soul. It’s still that way.”

Video Tour of the Café

Check out this great video interview with the owner and footage inside the café.

Finding Cats Their Forever Homes

In October 2021, Mac Tabby began a partnership with the rescue group Princeton’s Meow. To date, Mac Tabby has adopted out 1,280 cats, 924 in Charlotte and 356 in Concord. Lori says, “We are thankful for our partnerships with both rescues as part of our story. We have been blessed since day one to be surrounded by like-minded humans with the same passion…to save cat lives!”

• To Adopt: You must be 21+. You must get pre-approved by filling out an application online. They do not do “same day” adoptions, but instead hold weekly adoption nights at both locations.

You can preview some of the cats on their website.

What Their Customers Say

• What a fun and cozy place! Visited for the first time with my daughter today and it was great! The staff is super friendly, they have all kinds of drinks, and a relaxing cat room. The kitties were snoozing at first but quickly warmed up and started playing. Definitely a cool place to hang out. – Alicia
  
• I love this place. Been a customer of this location since day one and it never gets old. The staff is super friendly, and they are always willing to give you more information about each cat if you’re interested. The coffee is excellent and there is plenty of room to sit down and enjoy it. If you love cats and like to be around many of them while enjoying a cup of coffee, this is the place to be. – Wael

Mac Tabby in Concord also hosts live music and food trucks regularly. You can see the list of upcoming events on their website or follow their Facebook or Instagram pages for the latest. Below are two for April:

• Saturday 4/15: 6–9pm, Jazz Night with the D’licious Food Truck
• Saturday 4/29: 5–8pm, Taplow Music, with the Bubs Grub Hub Food Truck

Planning to visit? Tell ’em Cabarrus Weekly sent ya!