Ed Justus, co-owner of Talk Story Bookstore, Hanapepe, Hawaii, recently posted a tribute marking the loss of the shop's long-serving bookseller cat. It read, in part: "At 19 years old, 'Celeste' has passed away. Affectionally known as 'The Boss' or more popularly by her Instagram handle 'Celeste_the_Cat_Boss,' she spent her life doing exactly what she wanted to do: sleeping in her basket behind the desk, getting treats on demand (often ringing a bell to do so), and glaring at the customers as they adored her. Calculating to human years, Celeste lived to be 87....
"When Talk Story Bookstore began in 2004, Celeste moved into the store and became 'The Boss.' Over the years, she shared the store space with many cats which have come and gone, but Celeste was always there, a fixture of the bookstore. In her life, she must have encountered hundreds of thousands of people, making an impression upon them for better or for worse. Celeste has had videos made of her, been interviewed on national television shows and social media streams, was a council candidate campaign manager, trended on Reddit with seventeen thousand likes and on Cats of Instagram with one hundred thousand likes, gained three thousand followers on her own Instagram, and was named by Mental Floss dot com as one of the Top Ten Bookstore Cats in the World. No small feat for this 'runt of the litter.'
"Her likeness and cattitude has been immortalized in book and sticker-form by my wife, Yuriko, in the creation of the 'Mochi-Celeste' character, who brings smiles and laughter to people of all ages. Even though Celeste is no longer with us, her spirit lives on through 'Mochi-Celeste' and in the bookstore itself.
"Even though her basket behind the desk sits empty, I still feel her presence there, judging me as I work and run the store. Or when I unlock the store in the morning, I still await her complaining meows to me that she hasn't been feed yet. I miss her. We both do. She was one-of-a-kind. Celeste had been my ever-present companion, the longest person I have ever had in my life on a continuous basis. She was family. I am grateful she shared her life with us and with all those that met her. Celeste, you were unique. You will be missed. And remembered."