CLEVELAND — Thousands of books immediately grab the attention of customers who walk into Loganberry Books on Larchmere Boulevard, but what is just as attention-grabbing is a four-legged feline named Otis who has been stealing the spotlight since 2008.
Otis, the well-known face of Loganberry Books, is retiring after 14 years of welcoming customers. His purr-sonality and love of litter-ature made him the perfect fit at this neighborhood bookstore.
A long and storied career in the bookstore business began when he showed up outside the home of Loganberry Books owner Harriet Logan. He was just a couple months old at the time, and as Logan tells it, he asked for a job and has worked there ever since.
Elisabeth Plumlee-Watson, a bookseller and buyer at Loganberry, said some customers skip the browsing and go straight to Otis, who is usually lounging on a nearby couch in the annex gallery, a big carpet in front of the picture books or anywhere he can bask in the sun as he waits to be the star of attention.
“Because he's been here less and less. I would say there have been more disappointed customers lately, though hopefully not disappointed for long because it's a fabulous place to end up. Even if you just came for Otis and because Otis, his little sister, Alice, has been spending a lot more time at the store,” Watson said.
Watson said some feline health problems, such as diabetes, have been the main driver behind his retirement.
“It's just been stressful for him to make the trip into the store and home again because that's always been the way that he spent time,” she said. "It's just become clear that his health remains most stable and best and happiest when he is home."
A retirement isn’t official without a party, and the folks at Loganberry Books wanted to give customers the chance to wish him farewell, grab a photo with him, and come to a retirement at a party on Sunday, May 29, from 1-4 p.m.
The bookstore is raising funds for Weirdo Cat Lovers of Cleveland. There will be special treats, cake and homemade cards made for Otis. The store will also be celebrating his 14th birthday on Sunday.
Afterwards, it's Alice's turn to mind the store.
But that's another tail to tell.
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