Meet Frank, The Cat Who Works at a Cedar Rapids Bookstore

In this digital age of technology that we live in, bookstores face a bit of an uphill battle. But the great ones, like Next Page Books, 1105 3rd Stree SE in Cedar Rapids, make you feel right at home the moment you walk through the door. And what is more welcoming than a friendly cat named Frank?

Frank the Cat works on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at Next Page Books. He was a feral kitten at around four weeks old. Around four years ago, he was introduced to Next Page Books owner Bart Carithers, according to the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. At around four months of age, Frank began coming into the bookstore. The rest is feline literary history!

Frank has multiple jobs at Next Page Books. The Courier reports that his many positions include marketing, advertising, social media mascot, but Carithers told the Courier his most important job is to start conversations that humans can't.

Most people will immediately stop and pause and either talk to him or try and pet him...it helps create an inviting atmposhere. For people who've never been in before, its a conversation starter.

As a valued employee, the Courier points out that Franks has full benefits. His routine each day includes eating treats and climbing up the bookshelf ladder to nap or watch birds. But there is something else that now keeps Frank a bit busier. The Courier reports that he now has his own line of cat-themed books, cards, coffee mugs, and more. It's called 'Frank's Corner'.

Carithers tells the Courier that it has been a rough couple of years navigating through the pandemic. But Franks has made that journey a bit easier. Carithers says that one of the biggest lessons he's learned from Franks is stress management. It's hard to take the troubles of the world too seriously when a black cat is helping you pick out your next book. Thank you, Frank.