Entry No. 6 — the Asheville file — filed under: black-cats
House of Black Cat Magic
Half spiritual-supply shop, half black-cat lounge at 841 Haywood Road, run by Hannah Sobolewski and Star Bustamante, who reasoned that witches were the one customer base with no bias against black cats. The retail side sells candles, incense, herbs, books, and ritual tools with a local-and-sustainable bent; the lounge side is staffed by a rotating dozen adoptable black cats — tuxedos and tortoiseshells included — placed through Binx's Home for Black Cats, their 501(c)(3) nonprofit. More than 500 cats went home in the shop's first two years, per WLOS. Current fundraising project: a mobile veterinary clinic.
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The story
The shop began as a marketing problem. Black cats sit in shelters longer than any other color, and Hannah Sobolewski, who was already placing them through rescue, went looking for the demographic least likely to hold it against them. “I started thinking about black cats, and witches and people that are more secular tend to have less bias against things like black cats and broken mirrors,” she told WLOS. “So I decided to try to mix the two.” Co-owner Star Bustamante put the business case more plainly: cats have a long history as mystical companions, so combining magic supplies with cats was a no-brainer. The result at 841 Haywood Road is a building split down the middle: spiritual-supply shop on one side, a lounge holding a dozen or so adoptable black cats on the other, tuxedos and tortoiseshells included.
The retail half stocks working basics for practitioners — candles, incense, herbs, books and ritual tools, with house-made candles and house-packaged herbs and a stated preference for local, sustainable sourcing. The lounge half is supplied by Binx's Home for Black Cats, the owners' 501(c)(3), with Miss Dixie's Kitten Rescue as a second partner. Adoption fees run $125 for a kitten ($225 for two), $95 for an adult ($165 for two), $75 for seniors ten and up — and Binx's enforces a two-kitten rule unless you already have a young cat at home. By its second anniversary on June 8, more than 500 cats had gone home.
Then it won. In July 2026 the shop was named the number one cat café in the country in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards, after years the owners describe as a grind of recovering from Helene. It stays women-owned, and the current fundraiser is a mobile feline veterinary clinic — a van built out for house calls and low-cost community clinics.
What it's like
Enter through the shop, where the candle and herb wall does its business at normal retail volume, then into the lounge, which runs quieter by design. Cats are crepuscular, so mid-morning or late afternoon catches more play and less collective napping; arrive at 2pm and you are petting sleeping panthers, which the staff will assure you still counts. The rules are real and enforced: no chasing, no shrieking, no leaving your kid to it — one adult per two children, and staff decisions are final. Leave your own dog or cat at home. There are restrooms, and an altar to Bastet in the shop where you can leave a drawing if you've been coloring. Adoption applications are on hand and, statistically, are why people come back.
The move: Book a weekend lounge reservation for two, browse the candle and herb wall while a dozen black cats audit your choices, and leave with either a ritual kit or an adoption application — historically the odds favor the cat.
📍 Before you go Open Wed–Mon 11am–7pm, closed Tuesdays. Walk-ins allowed but reservations encouraged, especially on weekends or for groups; parties over 6 must book the Panther Purrrty Package. Kids under 10 only during designated Kiddy hours; ages 10–13 need an accompanying adult. (828) 423-0111.
- 📍 Asheville
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 841 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC 28806
Hours: Added 2026-08-25 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Asheville Retrocade — Directly across the way at 800 Haywood Road, where a $12 wristband buys unlimited pinball and vintage cabinets until 2am — the loud half of the same block.
- The Odd — Four blocks up Haywood at 1045, a bar that doubles as a collection of the macabre with taxidermy watching you order; keeps the black-cat evening going and adds drag, metal or trivia depending on the night.
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Good to know
Do I need a reservation?
Not required, but encouraged — especially weekends and any group. Parties of six or more must book a Panther Purrrty Package: $129 buys the lounge privately for an hour for up to ten people, $239 adds five-minute tarot readings and gift bags, $339 stretches it to 90 minutes with a kitten shower and a closing ritual. Call (828) 423-0111.
Can we bring kids?
Yes, which makes it unusual among cat cafés. Ages 10 and up any time with a supervising adult, one adult per two children; teens 14 and up unsupervised. Under 10 only during the daily rotating “Kiddy” hours, which you select when booking.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
Yes — a ramp on the left side of the building leads to a side door into the shop. Restrooms are available for patrons.
What are the hours, and when are the cats awake?
Wednesday through Monday, 11am to 7pm; closed Tuesdays. The cats are most active in the mornings and evenings, with a long nap in the middle of the day.
Can I actually adopt one?
That's the point. Applications go in ahead of a visit — at adoption events a pre-approved application gets you into the lounge free while everyone else buys a ticket. Fees are $125 per kitten, $95 adult, $75 senior, with a two-kitten policy unless you already have a young cat, and cardboard carriers are $10 from the rescue.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · exploreasheville.com · wlos.com
📷 We made a card for this one on Instagram →
last checked: 2026-08-25