Mini Cat Town, the nonprofit organization that allows the public to interact with and adopt kittens, will be vacating its location at Stanford Shopping Center next month, its founders announced.
The Stanford location, which opened last year, quickly became a popular spot, drawing visitors who came to pet kittens or watch them through the glass entrance. Thoa Bui, who founded the nonprofit with her sisters, Thi and Tram, shared that the Stanford location had the highest adoption rates among the nonprofit’s five locations.
However, Mini Cat Town faced closure earlier this year after city code enforcement officials determined that the nonprofit’s operations did not comply with local regulations for animal businesses. This decision was reversed after public outcry and intervention from several council members who opposed the closure.
Though the city’s decision provided the organization a temporary reprieve, the nonprofit is now leaving due to a different reason: its lease has expired. Thoa Bui explained that the Stanford location was always intended to be a pop-up. Simon Properties, which manages the mall, had granted multiple extensions while searching for a permanent tenant for the space.
“Our time in this space has run out, essentially,” Bui said.
While the mall management has been accommodating and communicative throughout the process, the Bui sisters hope to remain in Palo Alto. Thoa Bui mentioned that they are currently considering several new locations and aim to secure a lease soon.
“Less space for more kittens is always going to be a challenge, but we are definitely looking to stay in Palo Alto,” she said. “We’re exploring spaces now and hope to sign a lease before we move out.”
Should the Bui sisters find a new location, they will likely have an easier time navigating local regulations. Since January, planning staff and City Manager Ed Shikada have made it clear that they will not take enforcement actions against Mini Cat Town. Instead, the city is working on zoning code updates to support nonprofits like Mini Cat Town. The city’s Planning and Transportation Commission is set to review regulations for animal care facilities this spring, according to Shikada.
Bui mentioned that she has discussed the regulations with Planning Director Jonathan Lait, who indicated that the new rules would allow the nonprofit to stay in Palo Alto.
“Once we find a new spot, we should be able to sign a lease because they have allowed our use in the city,” Bui said.
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