It’s tough to believe that NBC’s Friends first hit the schedule nearly 20 years ago. While the show has been off the air for half of that time, premiering its final episode in 2004, it left behind a legacy of millions and millions of fans. Next month, to celebrate twenty years of Friends, a Central Perk pop-up coffee shop will be giving out free coffee to fans, as a thank you for their love of the comedy series.
The pop-up coffee shop was created via a partnership between Warner Bros. Television, Warner Bros. Consumer Products and Eight O’Clock Coffee, the latter of which happens to be producing a specialty, limited edition coffee roast called “Central Perk Roast.” The Central Perk pop-up will open up in Manhattan’s SoHo district on September 17 and will continue to stay open through October 18. In a press release, the companies announced that the address for the Central Perk pop-up will be 199 Lafayette Street, which is at the corner of Broome Street. Free coffee will be given away by Eight O’Clock while the pop-up is open.
Fans who live in New York or will be visiting during that time period should also be pleased to hear that there will be more than free coffee available each day. Props from the set, including the actual orange couch from the show, will be on hand for photo opportunities. Additionally, giveaways and musical sessions will be part of the fun, and Friends actor James Michael Taylor, who played Gunther during the tenure of the series, will occasionally show up, as a fun little “perk” for fans.
This isn’t the first time there has been a Friends Central Perk pop-up. Back in 2009, there was a Central Perk pop-up in London to celebrate the show’s 15th anniversary, complete with costumes, props and other fun goodies. Thanks to the fine folks who put up personal videos on Youtube, we can show you exactly what the pop-up looked like.
Of course, bringing Central Perk to New York, the home of Friends, seems a little more fitting. If you aren’t going to be in New York City next month, Eight O’Clock Coffee is also doing promotional opportunities in grocery stores for the anniversary. You can learn more about Friends’ 20th Anniversary or check out our full series Blu-ray review.
