‘Friends’ Central Perk Opens In NYC To Insane Lines [Photos]
We knew the opening of the replica Friends coffee shop, Central Perk, was going to be huge in New York, but we weren’t expecting it to be this huge. Perhaps everyone is feeling nostalgic for the 20th anniversary of Friends, or maybe people really enjoy free coffee. Either way, legions of people lined up on September 17 for the first of Central Perk’s month-long stint.
Unlike the year 1994, these days you can pretty much document everything on social media. Fans of coffee or the show Friends took to different social media networks to share photos and tidbits of the day. This included the massive amount of people who were waiting in line. As expected, there were plenty of first impressions about the replica coffee shop. According to the average fanatic fan, the shop went above and beyond expectations.
What’s cool about the pop up shop is that, aside from the mock-up, there’s also actual Friends memorabilia, including outfits the cast wore, Monica’s engagement ring, and even a Friends comic book. Here’s a look!
A look inside the Central Perk pop up shop. They have everything from Ross’s comic book to Monica’s engagement ring pic.twitter.com/SYzJyRw5w9
— F.R.I.E.N.D.S. (@FriendsAddict_) September 17, 2014
As promised, the longest serving barista alive, Gunther, was on hand for the big opening day. Actor James Michael Tyler who played Gunther told Entertainment Weekly that it was “way too surreal.”
“Seeing the props and the couch and the espresso machine — I worked around this stuff for 10 years. I will say, it’s a lot bigger than our actual set because we didn’t have a fourth wall, so that’s a bit surprising, but I can imagine this is probably what Central Perk would have looked like if it were real. This is pretty stunning.”
They even have Smelly Cat litter, Gunther, and FREE coffee pic.twitter.com/On1TvalUHr — F.R.I.E.N.D.S. (@FriendsAddict_) September 17, 2014
It’s official: Central Perk, famous “Friends” coffee shop, is open for business in NYC http://t.co/rGsieLErbW pic.twitter.com/XTzEbenPd0
— Newsday (@Newsday) September 17, 2014
To celebrate “Friends” 20th anniversary… Central Perk opens today: http://t.co/A4JTxAVleh pic.twitter.com/9hUmIxTOZi — NBC10 Philadelphia (@NBCPhiladelphia) September 17, 2014
According to Entertainment Weekly, Tyler will be available at Central Perk for a few dates. It’s reported that “Smelly Cat” performances are bound to pop up. If the free coffee is not enough, the coffee shop is also giving away merchandise.
The best part? You can watch the show with your friends as you enjoy your coffee.
Video: Friends coffee shop, Central Perk, opens in SoHo http://t.co/JJGfBRWk2m pic.twitter.com/ioQ8sJvnLu
— WSJ Greater New York (@WSJNY) September 17, 2014
[Image via The Blonde Salad]
