How Richmond united to bring Francine home

Molly Manning, News Editor

Francine, the 804’s beloved Lowe’s cat, is still spending time in the spotlight after her disappearance, search and return. Richmond continues to show support through events, fundraising, art and more. 

In October 2024, Francine was officially recognized on the Lowe’s website with a story and accompanying YouTube video deeming her a “local legend.” She has called the Broad Street Lowe’s home for eight years now, and has become a household name in Richmond. 

When Francine disappeared in early September the community was frenzied to bring her home with hundreds of social media photos showing support. Thanks to volunteers and local organizations she was returned safely home, but not without her story going national, even global. 

Both the Associated Press and Washington Post released stories about the local celebrity’s homecoming, and the Instagram page @WheresFrancine that brought attention to her disappearance now has nearly 40,000 followers.

“Francine Fest,” organized by WheresFrancine, brought community members together at Main Line Brewery on Oct. 8. Attendees sported cat sweaters, cat shirts and some even had cat ears or makeup.

Elise Gilmore and Chas Nabi, leaders of the efforts behind Task Force Francine and “WheresFrancine,” said the event was to celebrate the beloved cat while shielding her from too much immediate attention after her journey home. 

Gilmore and Nabi think the Richmond community came together in a way that many other cities could not.

“I think Richmond’s really weird,” Gilmore said. “I think Richmond is an anomaly. In New York it wouldn’t have happened there. It wouldn’t have happened in Miami.”

This sentiment of the Richmond community rallying in a way that others could not was echoed by festival-goers who agreed the city’s love for their favorite familiar feline face is a reflection of the its character. 

CJ Dailer and Reed Trouslot, VCUarts alumni and Richmond residents, attended Francine Fest to show their support.

“We’re here to support Francine for sure,” Dailer said. “When we found out she was missing, I was like, ‘holy s***, I’m going to go to North Carolina myself.’”

Dailer and Trouslot said that as art students at VCU, they became very well-acquainted with 

Francine’s home, the Broad Street Lowe’s. In their eyes, Francine is a staple of both the VCU and Richmond communities. 

“I was reading an article and it was just like, ‘Francine chose Richmond, Richmond didn’t choose Francine,’” Dailer said. “I think that’s just totally correct.”

Trouslot said they heard about a news story of Francine in London, and were shocked that the story had gone international. 

Dailer credits the connectedness of the community for Francine’s return. 

“I just mean there’s like a special balance here, it’s people who just want to see the community thrive and people who are already helping it thrive,” Trouslot said. “The SCPA is here. They’re doing a lot of fundraising for it. It’s getting a lot of news and I’m glad that’s coming out of it as well. And also, Francine’s not going to do anything controversial. You know? So, she’ll be a hero forever.” 

The Richmond Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) is one of the animal welfare organizations that aided in Francine’s homecoming. For two days after her return, they waived adoption fees for all kittens at the shelter.

On the day of Francine Fest, the SPCA announced a new “Saving Lives Together” license plate that Virginia drivers can pre-apply for. $15 from each plate sale will go towards the Richmond SPCA Transfer Support Fund.

The SPCA had a table at the festival, where they displayed a large version of the license plate and QR codes for attendees to scan to either access information about the plate or pay the registration fee.

Richmond mayor Danny Avula recently visited Francine at Lowe’s last week. The WheresFrancine organizers talked with the mayor about proclaiming Oct. 6 “Francine Day” and erecting a statue in her honor, according to their Instagram post. 

A print of Francine napping in the Marcus-David Peters Circle on Monument Ave in place of the former Robert E. Lee monument already exists thanks to local artist Ryan Myers.

Myers created the flyer shared by “WheresFrancine” when she went missing. He is also responsible for the “Francine: Working Class Hero” shirts that many attendees wore Wednesday night. 

Myers has been making Richmond-themed prints for five years, including the “Francine for Mayor” and “Francine: Richmond’s Hardest Working Lowe’s Employee” prints found in several stores around the area like Ashby and Rest in Pieces. 

Myers said he chose Francine as a subject because she’s the “most Richmond” celebrity he could think of.

“I love her,” Myers said. “She is probably our number one celebrity and no one will ever surpass her. Like, everyone loves her. Literally, you cannot cancel Francine. She’s beloved.”

In turn, Myers said the Richmond community set aside their differences to bring her home and celebrate her.

“It’s impressive to see people from all walks of life all come together over this,” Myers said. “We’re invested in this and it’s a rare moment of unity. All over a missing Lowe’s cat, which I think the world needs so much more of right now.”

Myers said everyone’s love for Francine may be the “pinnacle of Richmond pride.”

Three of Myers’s pieces were included in one of Francine Fest’s raffle baskets. Proceeds from the raffle and festival went to support the Richmond SPCA and the Richmond Animal Care and Control.

Local artists, events and businesses contributed to the raffle prizes, including tickets to the Williamsburg Beer Festival, dinner at the Quirk Hotel’s lobby bar, tattoo vouchers and other gift cards.

In total, the event raised almost $10,000 for SOS Cats RVA, a non-profit volunteer organization that works to trap, neuter and return cats in the area. 

In addition to a raffle, families danced to music by Mead the Dear, Sundance Cowboy, Mykal Allen and other local artists. Performers with the Party Liberation Foundation also put on fire shows for the crowd.

Cassandra Pettey, a VCU alum, attended Francine Fest with her cat Nova. Her seven-year-old tabby wore a pink bandana to match her pink cat backpack and owner’s pink hair. 

Pettey said the event was what she expected from Richmond. 

“I mean, it’s a cat. Everyone loves a cat,” Pettey said. “It’s amazing but also kind of expected, and just like the community is so open and so welcoming. Honestly, I am very impressed with the turnout.”

She thinks the amount of support that led to Francine’s recovery could not have happened if Richmond was not such a tight-knit community. 

“The activism in Virginia, and Richmond especially, is so quick to support,” Pettey said. “The mountain of mutual aid, the amount of concern for your fellow neighbor and Richmond, I think is just endemic of the community.”