The spirit of the store owner who made the wise decision
"Cats are taboo in restaurants. I was well aware of that, but I was thinking of closing the restaurant if it meant customers would leave," said the owner of the izakaya restaurant SUIREN, located in a corner of Komazawa-daigaku Station in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, where many restaurants are lined up. Tom, now a popular mascot cat, is six years old. He rides his motorbike to work with the owner every day and quietly watches over the preparations from a short distance away.
"One night, on my way home on my motorcycle, I found a kitten collapsed on the road. Thinking that it had been hit by a car, I picked it up to at least offer it a memorial, but it was still breathing. I rushed it to the emergency room, but they thought it wouldn't live long. Since I had found it, I wanted to take care of it until the end. My apartment didn't allow pets, but my landlord at the time heard about my situation and made a special request to allow me to keep a cat."
Miraculous cat revived from near death. Becomes the key player in livening up the bar.
Although he somehow managed to stay alive, his body was not strong enough. So, he decided to accompany me to work just in case something happened.
"At first, we received complaints and the number of customers dropped significantly. But you can't put a price on life. I can do jobs other than food and beverage, so I thought I'd see what I could do."
People who agreed with his spirit began to visit the store, and now many of the regulars are "Tom fans," continuing to support him by donating to his medical expenses when he needs treatment.
"I'm a pretty unsociable person considering I run a restaurant, but thanks to Tom being there, conversations flow and the circle of customers expands."
He started living with cats with the determination to close the shop, but it brought him unexpected happiness.
"At first I wasn't sure what would happen, but it naturally became a place where cat lovers gather, and I feel like the store is brighter and more fun than before. It's all thanks to you, Tom! Thank you so much!"
