Liquor License Request Signals Gulf Shores Cat Cafe Near Waterway Village
Salty Whisker, a new cat cafe and adoption venue, is coming to Gulf Shores near the Waterway Village District and has applied for a beer and wine license.
Gulf Shores is getting a cat cafe with a space designed for felines and feline lovers alike, complete with adoptable kitties to visit or bring home.
Salty Whisker is coming to a space in a new building in the southwest corner of East 20th Avenue and East Second Street near the Waterway Village District. The new business is applying for a liquor license to serve or sell to-go beer and wine, which was discussed during a city council work session on Aug. 3. The council will vote on the license at its regular session on Aug. 10.
“The Salty Whisker is a locally owned cat café coming soon to Gulf Shores to offer a unique space where the community can relax, connect and unwind,” a release from the owners states. “Guests will enjoy a selection of nonalcoholic beverages, specialty coffee, beer and wine while creating a one-of-a-kind destination that supports both the community and local rescue efforts.”
A separate cat lounge will host cats from local rescue groups, and patrons will be able to see if one would be a fit for their home.
During the same work session, the Gulf Shores City Council also discussed renewing an annual contract with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management to help the building department streamline permitting, hear variance requests and patrol the beaches (the city will be reimbursed $66,550 for the services); amending the city’s zoning ordinance to modify the definition of the Beach Walking Overlay District; annexing 5.49 acres at 18789 Oak Road West just west of the Gulf Shores Sportsplex; approving an assembly permit for the 11th-annual Tacky Jack’s Bloody Mary 5K on Sept. 5; and approving an assembly permit for the 53rd-annual National Shrimp Festival Oct. 8-11 at Gulf Place.
The zoning ordinance amendment would add a clause allowing legally nonconforming residences within the Beach Walking Overlay District to be rebuilt if destroyed. The change received a favorable recommendation from the planning commission at its June meeting, but under the city’s process it must be advertised for 22 days before returning to the council for a vote, meaning it will appear on a future agenda. The annexation west of the Sportsplex is planned for single-family residential zoning, and staff have said the city’s current moratorium on new multi- and single-family developments will not affect that annexation. The Bloody Mary 5K is set to start and end near Tacky Jack’s on West 24th Avenue in the Waterway Village District at 7:30 a.m.
How Alcohol Licenses Are Approved
In Alabama, alcohol licenses are issued by the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, but applicants must first obtain approval from the local governing body, such as the city council for businesses located inside city limits, before the state will issue a license.
Related coverage from South AL News
- Gulf Shores' Waterway Village Pedestrian Bridge Reaches Tower Milestone in $24 Million Project
- Gulf Shores Waterway Village Update: Pedestrian Bridge on Track for Spring 2027, East Second Street Phase Awaits RESTORE Funds
- Gulf Shores Officials Lay Out Vision Behind Proposed Development Incentive Program
- Gulf Shores Council Reviews ACAMP Renewal, Zoning Changes and Shrimp Festival Permit
