{"id":114004,"date":"2026-01-27T17:00:38","date_gmt":"2026-01-27T17:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/114004\/"},"modified":"2026-01-27T17:00:38","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T17:00:38","slug":"greenpoints-flower-cat-turns-cafe-into-community-space-for-creatives-brooklyn-paper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/114004\/","title":{"rendered":"Greenpoint\u2019s Flower Cat turns caf\u00e9 into community space for creatives \u2022 Brooklyn Paper"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t Search our comprehensive guide to things to do in Brooklyn<\/a> for more local events \u2014 or submit your own<\/a>!<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a particularly brisk Friday evening. In Greenpoint\u2019s historic district, gusts of wind carry the occasional melody of a jazz manouche trio between rowhouse-lined streets. The swinging sound drifts from Noble Street, spilling out of a packed caf\u00e9 called Flower Cat.<\/p>\n

To the unknowing eye, the space could be mistaken for one of the city\u2019s many swanky bars. Inside, amber-toned lamps highlight a lively crowd passing around glasses of red wine. Overhead, moonlight pours through two skylights, illuminating a glossy-haired woman weaving through the room, greeting customers and friends.<\/p>\n

The woman is Suzanne Agbayani, the owner of Flower Cat<\/a>. She opened the one-stop caf\u00e9 and flower shop more than two years ago. The space has since evolved into a Greenpoint community staple.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u200aWe call it our living room,\u201d Agbayani said.\n<\/p>\n

It was when Agbayani began hosting events at the caf\u00e9 nearly two years ago that the space became both a living room and a shapeshifter. On Friday nights like these, the room transforms into a stage for live bands and open mics. On full and new moons, the shop leans into the divine arts, hosting tarot readers. An art studio, a library, a meditation center, a floral service \u2014 Flower Cat is more than just a caf\u00e9.<\/p>\n

\"\"Flower Cat is located at 162 Noble St. in Greenpoint.Photo by Sarah Gassel<\/p>\n

The small shop is located in what was once an 1800s carriage house. Antique art of bouquets and kittens adorns sage limewashed walls, while vintage upholstered chairs transport customers to the streets of Florence. At the back of the storefront, a glass floral cooler displays eight galvanized French buckets of fresh flowers for sale.<\/p>\n

People who know Agbayani say she has managed to turn her personality into a room.\n<\/p>\n

Born in the Philippines and raised in Hawaii, Agbayani moved to New York City more than a decade ago to pursue a master\u2019s degree at Pratt Institute\u2019s School of Architecture. She spent eight years in the architecture industry before opening Flower Cat.<\/p>\n

\u201cArchitecture is beautiful because the whole point is that you\u2019re building for humanity,\u201d Agbayani said. In practice, however, she found that this ideal was rarely upheld. She grew dissatisfied with both the work itself and the workplace culture at many firms.<\/p>\n

\"\"A floral cooler in the back holds stems for customers to build bouquets. Owner Suzanne Agbayani buys the stems weekly at a flower market and draws inspiration from the astrological season when choosing them.Photo by Sarah Gassel<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t until a friend\u2019s wedding in Italy in the fall of 2022 that she finally decided to make a change. Surrounded by incredible art and architecture, she was inspired to bring this beauty into her own life and end her career in architecture. On the long flight home, she made a list of everything she loved: Paris, cats, flowers. From there, a plan was set in motion to open a business that would allow her to pursue all of her passions at once. Agbayani began taking floral arrangement classes in the neighborhood and learned how to make a latte.<\/p>\n

Flower Cat officially opened in September 2023. The menu features a full suite of espresso drinks, teas and wine, along with small bites and pastries. Seasonal offerings include drinks with cat-themed names like the Maple Catnog Latte.<\/p>\n

Choosing Greenpoint was deliberate. Agbayani lives in the neighborhood, which was one of the first areas she explored and fell in love with after moving to New York City.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u200at felt natural building Flower Cat,\u201d she said. \u201cIt was everything that I loved and collected and created.\u201d
\n\"\"The interior of Flower Cat is decorated with vintage and unique art and armchairs, all of which were handpicked by owner Suzanne Agbayani. She says some of the furniture used to be in her apartment before she opened the caf\u00e9.Photo by Sarah Gassel\n<\/p>\n

People quickly took notice. Employees and customers alike say they were drawn to the authenticity Agbayani brings to the space.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s a creative herself, so she invites that creative energy,\u201d said Savannah James, Flower Cat\u2019s first employee.\n<\/p>\n

That energy proved central to the success of the caf\u00e9\u2019s events, which began on Valentine\u2019s Day 2024. After bonding over a shared love of tarot, Agbayani, James and longtime employee MacKenzie Huneke decided to offer readings to customers. Visitors could get a tarot reading, a bouquet and a glass of wine. Agbayani said the event was a hit.<\/p>\n

Soon after, James suggested open mic nights. The jazz wasn\u2019t far behind, and, before they knew it, they had a full roster of events, ranging from karaoke to astrology workshops. Several of the events were proposed to Agbayani by customers, such as the paper bag decorating for Heart of Dinner, a nonprofit organization that serves under-resourced older Asian American adults. Others, such as the meditation session, are hosted by employees.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u200aThe fact that we get to use this space for our passions is extremely important,\u201d said Huneke, who hosts a monthly book club.
\n\"\"Flower Cat also hosts artists-in-residence. January\u2019s artist, Rosa Miranda, sits by the window while painting at the caf\u00e9.Photo by Sarah Gassel\n<\/p>\n

Some weeks, Flower Cat hosts four to five events. Over the summer, Huneke stepped in as event coordinator to manage the growing schedule. In October, the caf\u00e9 launched a monthly calendar decorated by Agbayani\u2019s two cats, Shrimp and Lilith. Events are color-coded by category, such as \u201clive music\u201d and \u201chealing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u200aWe\u2019re covering a multitude of interests that I don\u2019t feel are getting covered other places,\u201d Huneke said. \u201cSo it\u2019s really a mixed bag of folks who are here, and that\u2019s what New York City is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Huneke says that the people who come to the events often become coffee regulars and vice versa. As Flower Cat has turned into a third space, it is rejecting the trend that has seen Americans spend more time alone <\/a>than ever before. Instead, the caf\u00e9\u2019s events are marked by a lack of phones and a surplus of people to talk to.<\/p>\n

Over time, the caf\u00e9\u2019s customers have formed an interconnected web of friends.\n<\/p>\n

\u201c\u200aEveryone kind of gets roped into it,\u201d James said.\n<\/p>\n

That includes the performers. Long Island resident Aaron Bernstein, the violinist for the Diego Campo Trio, had never visited Flower Cat before playing there. He later befriended Agbayani and her staff and began attending events beyond his own performances.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u200aI\u2019m guaranteed to have a very pleasant evening, a nice conversation,\u201d Bernstein said. \u201cYou can\u2019t ask for anything else, really.\u201d
\n\"\"Bossa nova musicians Ver\u00f3nica Olmos and Ben VanDerPloeg perform while two pedestrians watch from outside before entering.Photo by Sarah Gassel\n<\/p>\n

It also includes longtime neighborhood residents like Kathleen O\u2019Boyle, a regular who was born and raised in Greenpoint. She has watched businesses come and go and said she\u2019s glad Flower Cat and its employees have remained over the past two years. O\u2019Boyle said it has been 15 years since she last had a community space like this and always feels welcome, recalling warm conversations with Agbayani.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe sets the tone for this place,\u201d O\u2019Boyle said.\n<\/p>\n

Even in the middle of a humdrum weekday, the energy at Flower Cat is different from that of the average caf\u00e9. The space has been known for holding discussions on literature and chess games between strangers. Many say it\u2019s where they go when they\u2019re having a bad day, whether they need a pick-me-up or the kind, listening ears offered by Agbayani and her staff.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u200aI got to build something beautiful to share with everyone and create a community,\u201d Agbayani said. \u201cThis is real architecture.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Search our comprehensive guide to things to do in Brooklyn for more local events \u2014 or submit your…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":114005,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[2571,98,100,99,18770,1882,4619,50677,2422,6160,2538,9,24,12,370,63,50678,904],"class_list":{"0":"post-114004","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-brooklyn","8":"tag-arts-and-entertainment","9":"tag-brooklyn","10":"tag-brooklyn-headlines","11":"tag-brooklyn-news","12":"tag-cafe","13":"tag-community","14":"tag-events","15":"tag-flower-cat","16":"tag-greenpoint","17":"tag-jazz","18":"tag-music","19":"tag-new-york","20":"tag-new-york-city","21":"tag-news","22":"tag-newsletter","23":"tag-nyc","24":"tag-suzanne-agbayani","25":"tag-things-to-do"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114004","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=114004"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114004\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/114005"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=114004"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=114004"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=114004"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}