Retirement, it turns out, doesn't come with a handbook. On this Tourism Tuesday Winchester/Frederick County edition of The Valley Today, host Janet Michael and Justin Kerns finally talk an avowed dog person into stepping inside a cat café — and what they find on the Piccadilly corner of the Old Town Walking Mall is something more carefully built than they expected. Chris Goebel, who retired to Virginia at 57 and went looking for purpose, opened Biscuits & Beans Cat Cafe on April 1st with his wife and family. Three weeks later they had welcomed nearly 1,400 guests and were on pace to donate $50,000 a year to local rescues.

Chris and General Manager Chelsea Champ walk through the why behind every design decision — separate HVAC systems, a glass-walled "catquarium," 15 socialized cats max at a time, "no tips, just tails" as a built-in donation model, and a coffee program built entirely on steamed cold brew. Plus: how the reservation system works, what kinds of people are showing up (a younger demo than usual for the walking mall, including a lot of first dates), the June "Colored Collection" Pride drinks, and what's on the menu beyond coffee. Justin closes out with Hop Blossom, the VA 250 lineup, and a very gentlemanly update on the Middletown Maulers vintage baseball team.

VISIT INFO — BISCUITS & BEANS CAT CAFÉ

Located on the Piccadilly corner of the Old Town Walking Mall in downtown Winchester

Hours: Mon–Thu 10 AM–6 PM • Fri & Sat 10 AM–7 PM • Sun 10 AM–5 PM (open 7 days)

Café: walk in any time during open hours — no reservation needed

Cat Lounge: reservations required • 40-minute sessions • max 7 guests, up to 15 cats • $12.50 per person

Private sessions: $75 for the full 40-minute space (up to 7 people) — great for first dates, girls' nights, bachelorette starts, coworker outings, or a quiet solo break

Allergy-friendly: separate HVAC and glass partition between the café and the cat lounge

Kids welcome — any age, with one adult per child under 7

Adoption: meet a cat you love? You can get pre-approved before or during your visit and take them home the same day

LINKS & RESOURCES

• Biscuits & Beans Cat Café — biscuitsandbeans.com (reservations + menu)

• Biscuits & Beans on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok

• Just Tails Foundation (501(c)(3) supporting local rescues) — justtails.org

• Visit Winchester events calendar (Hop Blossom, VA 250, and more): visitwinchesterva.com → Events

THE VALLEY TODAY with Janet Michael — A decade of conversations.

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