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Food and Drinks
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First permanent Friends-themed coffee shop Central Perk opens in Boston, honouring late Chandler actor Matthew Perry

  • The first permanent Central Perk coffee shop has a menu featuring blends named after some of the Friends catchphrases, and a replica of the show’s orange sofa
  • The opening of the shop in Boston, US, was delayed to this month because of the death of one of the sitcom’s stars, Matthew Perry, who played Chandler Bing

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The Central Perk coffee shop in Boston in the United States, a tribute to the “Friends” sitcom whose main characters hung out at Central Perk, has opened, and features a replica of the orange sofa from the long-running show. Instagram / @centralperk
Tribune News Service

After years of buzzy pop-ups, the Central Perk coffee shop in hit comedy Friends opened its first permanent real-life location in Boston, in the US, this week.

Its opening was delayed because of the death of one of the sitcom’s stars, Matthew Perry, according to People magazine. Now, it honours the late actor and his Friends character, Chandler Bing, by handing out coffee sleeves with the Chandler quote, “Can I interest you in a sarcastic comment?”

The store will roll out additional sleeves that have quotes from the show’s other main characters Rachel, Ross, Monica, Phoebe and Joey.

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Over the past several years, pop-up versions of Central Perk appeared in New York and Los Angeles. Warner Bros Discovery has used the pop-ups as a way to promote Friends, which is streaming on its platform Max.

A still from “Friends” episode “The One With the Breast Milk Episode 2” shows Matthew Perry (left) as Chandler Bing and fellow cast members Jennifer Aniston, Matt Le Blanc, and Courteney Cox in Central Perk with its orange sofa. Photo: Gary Null/NBCU/Getty Images
A still from “Friends” episode “The One With the Breast Milk Episode 2” shows Matthew Perry (left) as Chandler Bing and fellow cast members Jennifer Aniston, Matt Le Blanc, and Courteney Cox in Central Perk with its orange sofa. Photo: Gary Null/NBCU/Getty Images
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.
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