Need a cat tree? You may have seen this Frenchman’s sign on Selwyn Ave

First, I have to admit that I hate cats. They seem creepy, smelly and I’m literally allergic to them. And, cat litter makes a house stink. Okay, needed to get that off my chest.

I live in the ghetto of Myers Park (aka Barclay Downs), so I drive down Selwyn a lot. Lately, I’ve passed by this incredible sign:

And, I’ve passed by this badass looking cat tree. If I were a cat, I would like to live in this. Is that a starfish? Heck yeah.

So naturally, I had to stop and talk to the entrepreneur selling cat trees on the side of the road on Selwyn Ave.

Who is this guy and what the heck is he doing selling cat trees? Good questions. Thank goodness you have me to get answers.

He’s a very kind Frenchman named Florent Deniaud. Thick French accent. His business card says he’s a “Cat Tree Designer” – how freaking awesome is that?

5 nuggets on Florent and his cat tree business

• Florent loves cats. Currently, he has 2 cats.
• He started creating cat trees because he needed one for his cats. Then he asked himself: “Why can’t I make these for other people? I can try.”
• His cat trees retail for between $250 and $300. He had 2 more in his apartment close by, but I told him I was good and didn’t need to check them out.
• Total sales: 3. He’s sold 1 cat tree on the street and the 2 others from word of mouth with friends.
• Florent believes in the American Dream. He told me in his French accent, “Maybe this is a business. Here in the USA, everything is possible. I saw the movie Pretty Woman.” I haven’t seen Pretty Woman in a long time, so I don’t even know what this means.

What’s your first reaction to this? You probably chucked. I don’t chuckle. I absolutely love what Florent is doing. Will it work? I have no clue. I hate cats. But, he’s making it happen. He built prototypes. He stands on the street corner hustling. He has customers.

Cheers to the Charlotte entrepreneur psychos out there bringing ideas to market and selling. Cheers to you Florent for being crazy enough to sell cat trees on the side of the road in Myers Park.

Charlotte needs more Florents.

This story was originally published February 25, 2015 at 12:36 AM with the headline "Need a cat tree? You may have seen this Frenchman’s sign on Selwyn Ave."