CENTRAL PERK POP-UP CREATES "FRIENDS" FAN FRENZY IN LOWER MANHATTAN

Warner Bros. and Eight O'Clock Coffee Partner on Iconic Coffee Shop

BURBANK, Calif. (September 18, 2014) - To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the series premiere of Friends, Warner Bros. Television Group, Warner Bros. Consumer Products and Eight O'Clock Coffee (America's Original Gourmet Coffee) joined together to open a replica Central Perk coffee shop, identical to the one frequented by the characters of the hit, Emmy(R)-winning comedy, providing a variety of unique experiences - including complimentary coffee and Friends-themed fun - for fans and coffee lovers alike.

The store (located at 199 Lafayette Street, on the corner of Broome) officially opened to the public Wednesday, September 17, and the fans were ready! With lines stretching for up to four city blocks, fans waiting to get into Central Perk weren't just local New Yorkers - just as Friends' popularity crossed international borders, so too the fans stopping by the pop-up, hailing from such faraway locales as Australia, Brazil, China, the UK ... and Brooklyn.

Additionally, actor James Michael Tyler, who played Gunther in the hit series, popped by to surprise thrilled fans who were waiting in line.

Some stats and fun facts:

· Fans at Central Perk hailed from a variety of countries, including Australia, Brazil, Chile, China, England, France, Germany, Japan, Ireland, Israel and the Philippines.

· Fans online made themselves known as well! The Central Perk pop-up was mentioned in social media over 7,800 times in the past 24 hours, up +117% from the prior day. (Source: Bottlenose, includes Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr); add a day, and there have been over 14,000 social mentions since Monday, September 15.

· There were 1,455 customers at Central Perk's opening day.

· 1,060 cups of Eight O'Clock Coffee were handed out on Wednesday. Visitors to Central Perk enjoyed varietals including the limited-edition Central Perk Roast, Caramel Macchiato, Dark Italian Espresso and The Original Decaf.

· Plus, approximately 1,766 photos were taken on the iconic orange couch! Look for them online with the hashtag #Friends20.