Used Bookstore’s Resident Cat And Supervisor Still Running Tight Ship After 15 Years

Cats haven't gotten over the deity-like treatment they enjoyed during the times of the pharaohs. They remain steadfast in carrying themselves in stately, regal manners that demand a certain amount of reverence. Yet, in the millennia that have passed, cats have had to endure a few trade-offs: crown jewels for Instagram accounts and pyramids for bookshops.

Anyone visiting Richmond, Virginia, may have heard of Chop Suey Books, a former Chinese restaurant-turned-bookstore—at its first location—that serves as a metropolitan literary hub for indie writers and established authors alike. Although the sign above the door clarifies the Carytown District shop sells "Used Books, Not Used Eggrolls," it also depicts a cartoonish depiction of the shop's figurehead as the "Caturday Miracle," supervisor and resident celebrity cat, WonTon.

Story written by Alex Lemieux.

Posted by Marielru

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The aptly-named tuxedo cat found his forever home while living in a house next door to the shop's old location, which previously housed George's Chop Suey restaurant on Cary Street near the Virginia Commonwealth University campus. Reportedly, WonTon had jumped through the window, and the bookstore owner at the time believed him to be a stray. After a few visits to the store, though, the woman who lived next to the building told the shop owner that he should just keep WonTon.

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WonTon has lived at the shop—now across from the Byrd Theatre on Cary Street—for most of his 15-year life. In that time, he's risen in the ranks from aloof shop cat to the proud and noble supervisor of the used bookstore. When WonTon isn't lying in the front window observing passersby or walk-in bibliophiles, he can usually be found sauntering through the few aisles of shelves downstairs for adoring fans to greet him.
"We probably hear 'We're here to see the cat!' a dozen times a day," said Athena, one of WonTon's many public relations representatives.

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WonTon may enjoy mingling with his dedicated social media followers on the shop floor as they flip through sci-fi fantasy thrillers or other literary narratives, but he's not one to proffer much of his presence. WonTon will let you sneak in a few head scratches, but he has responsibilities to uphold at the store, such as making sure all book boxes are the right size for him to sit in.

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Typically, people can meet him in his upstairs staging area in the thoughtfully-curated Used Children's Books room, where WonTon has a comfy red sofa to nap on and plenty of sunlight to bask in. This is where WonTon's fans gather to snap pictures of his regal presence and spend time with Richmond's most famous feline.
Members of Chop Suey's staff think he secretly likes the attention it gets him. However, many say "he'd never admit it."

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When WonTon is finished with his salutations for the day, he will retire to his upstairs room, with the door leading into his quarters explicitly stating, "EMPLOYEES AND FELINE ONLY PAST THIS POINT." His room has plenty of beds and boxes where WonTon can lay his head and includes his second favorite spot in the shop: his food bowl.

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In the decade and a half since WonTon has been revered as the official Chop Suey Books mascot and inspiration for the "Saturday Caturday" label, he has been a part of bolstering the shop's reputation as a quirky independent bookstore. One of his most captivating experiences was being featured in a full-page picture representing Chop Suey Books in the "This Is My Bookstore 2022" calendar, sandwiched between Porto's Livraria Lello & Irmão and Oakland's Walden Pond books.

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For now, WonTon doesn't expect to enter retirement. There are too many tasks at hand for the shop supervisor: greeting customers, napping on the shelves for quality control purposes, and yelling at his subordinates for treats. Lisa Marie, one of WonTon's handlers and social media manager, said, "We're praying we keep him going. He's a little old man, but he's the best grumpy old cat."

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