It’s a particularly brisk Friday evening. In Greenpoint’s 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 café called Flower Cat.
To the unknowing eye, the space could be mistaken for one of the city’s 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.
The woman is Suzanne Agbayani, the owner of Flower Cat. She opened the one-stop café and flower shop more than two years ago. The space has since evolved into a Greenpoint community staple.
“ We call it our living room,” Agbayani said.
It was when Agbayani began hosting events at the café 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 — Flower Cat is more than just a café.
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.
People who know Agbayani say she has managed to turn her personality into a room.
Born in the Philippines and raised in Hawaii, Agbayani moved to New York City more than a decade ago to pursue a master’s degree at Pratt Institute’s School of Architecture. She spent eight years in the architecture industry before opening Flower Cat.
“Architecture is beautiful because the whole point is that you’re building for humanity,” 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.
It wasn’t until a friend’s 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.
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.
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.
“I t felt natural building Flower Cat,” she said. “It was everything that I loved and collected and created.”
People quickly took notice. Employees and customers alike say they were drawn to the authenticity Agbayani brings to the space.
“She’s a creative herself, so she invites that creative energy,” said Savannah James, Flower Cat’s first employee.
That energy proved central to the success of the café’s events, which began on Valentine’s 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.
Soon after, James suggested open mic nights. The jazz wasn’t 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.
“ The fact that we get to use this space for our passions is extremely important,” said Huneke, who hosts a monthly book club.
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 café launched a monthly calendar decorated by Agbayani’s two cats, Shrimp and Lilith. Events are color-coded by category, such as “live music” and “healing.”
“ We’re covering a multitude of interests that I don’t feel are getting covered other places,” Huneke said. “So it’s really a mixed bag of folks who are here, and that’s what New York City is.”
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 than ever before. Instead, the café’s events are marked by a lack of phones and a surplus of people to talk to.
Over time, the café’s customers have formed an interconnected web of friends.
“ Everyone kind of gets roped into it,” James said.
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.
“ I’m guaranteed to have a very pleasant evening, a nice conversation,” Bernstein said. “You can’t ask for anything else, really.”
It also includes longtime neighborhood residents like Kathleen O’Boyle, a regular who was born and raised in Greenpoint. She has watched businesses come and go and said she’s glad Flower Cat and its employees have remained over the past two years. O’Boyle said it has been 15 years since she last had a community space like this and always feels welcome, recalling warm conversations with Agbayani.
“She sets the tone for this place,” O’Boyle said.
Even in the middle of a humdrum weekday, the energy at Flower Cat is different from that of the average café. The space has been known for holding discussions on literature and chess games between strangers. Many say it’s where they go when they’re having a bad day, whether they need a pick-me-up or the kind, listening ears offered by Agbayani and her staff.
“ I got to build something beautiful to share with everyone and create a community,” Agbayani said. “This is real architecture.”
