The History of 1515 Broadway and The Cat's Meow!

1515 Broadway was built in the 1910s by Beach Coleman and housed J.D. Jones Women's Wear in the 1910s and '20s, as well as numerous doctors and jewlers through the '20s and '30s. By 1933 Schmoller and Mueller Piano Company had moved into the building, selling pianos, band instruments, records, and radios before branching out into small home appliances including early refrigerators and freezers by the '50s and '60s. In the 1960s, Singer Sewing Machine repaired and sold their machines in 1515 Broadway. And then in 1969, Bunni and Stan Slater moved their store, The Cat's Meow! into the building.

The Cat’s Meow! was an iconic store in Scottsbluff in the '70s and '80s with an endless variety of new and amazing things for sale, from dishes and soaps and candles and cards and gag gadgets to baskets and silk flowers and even coffee and fudge and aprons and food processors to name only a few things. In the '90s, a record and music store again set up shop at 1515 Broadway, and then Mike's Huskers Trophies and Awards. Through the many years and many businesses, the owners remained Beach Coleman and his daughter Ada Lee Coleman - Allan. But in 2006, due to medical and financial crises, Bunni and Stan's daughter and her family returned to Scottsbluff, looking for a flexible way to live and make money. And upon the death of Ada Lee, her husband Vernon heard of the difficulties and contacted the Slaters to see if they might be interested in buying the building. And miraculously, everything came together to finally buy the buildilng where The Cat's Meow had resided for almost 20 years.

After much needed renovation, in 2006 Bunni’s grandson Miner Perkins and family opened W.O.W! Tea and Coffeehouse, a fun and unusual night-time coffee shop with speciality coffee and hot chocolate and comfy couches, books and games, in the same place where decades before The Cat’s Meow! had offered the first wide selection of specialty, fresh ground coffee in Scottsbluff.

A few years later, due to Miner contracting West Nile virus, W.O.W! Tea and Coffeehouse turned into Prairie Studio, where Tom Perkins and family sold consignment items, art, books, and more. When COVID began, Tom retired and Prairie Studio closed in 2020 after being open for more than a decade.

Then in 2021 Bunni’s daughter, author and artist Lauri Matisse, also retunred to Scottsbluff after many years away and opened Matisse Studios in the building. Matisse Studios has now made an exciting move to the newly renovated 110 E. 19th St, where Lauri is designing architecture, selling her art and books, her daughter April’s handmade candles, and her daughter Julia’s artwork and fashion selections. Bunni’s daughter and granddaughters are continuing in the tradition of The Cat’s Meow!, which also was famous for its candles and fashion selections, and even art at the very beginning of its opening.

Now Bunni’s granddaughter Michaela Perkins has opened her custom sewing and mending room while also selling a little of Anything and Everything just like when The Cat’s Meow! first opened on 1st Ave.