New ‘Friends’ coffee shop honors Perry
After years of buzzy pop-ups, the “Friends” hangout, the Central Perk coffee shop, opened its first permanent real-life location in Boston this week.
Its opening was delayed due to the death of one of the hit sitcom’s stars, Matthew Perry, according to People. The shop, which opened Tuesday, honored the late actor and his bestknown TV character, Chandler Bing, by handing out coffee sleeves with the Chandler quote, “Can I interest you in a sarcastic comment?”
After opening day, the store will roll out additional sleeves that have quotes
from the show’s other main characters, Rachel, Ross, Monica, Phoebe and Joey.
Over the past several years, pop-up versions of Central Perk were appearing in New York and throughout Los Angeles County, including one this past summer in Lakewood and previous iterations in Santa Monica and West Hollywood. Warner Bros. Discovery has used the pop-ups as a way to promote “Friends,” which is streaming on its platform Max. Then known as WarnerMedia, the media giant paid $425 million in 2019 to stream the sitcom on its platform for five years.
The show’s presence on streaming platforms, along with a 2021 reunion show, bolstered its staying power and introduced the sitcom to a new generation of viewers.
Even so, the new store is clearly banking on some nostalgia among fans who have deep knowledge of the show, which turns 30 next year.
The permanent 2,600square-foot location is on Newbury Street in Boston, one of the city’s main thoroughfares. Its coffee menu was curated by celebrity chef, restaurateur and “Top Chef ” judge Tom Colicchio, according to the store’s website. Its blends, some of which have been for sale online, are named after some of the show’s famous catch phrases, such as Pivot Blend and How You Doin’?
A replica of the iconic orange couch sits inside the new store, along with a neon sign fashioned to spell “The one with ...,” a reference to the formatted titles of each “Friends” episode. The
store’s hallway is set with an image of a gold chicken and duck, drawing from Chandler and Joey’s pets in the show.
The store had planned to open in October, until Perry died suddenly on Oct. 28 at age 54.