Montana Woman Opens a 90’s Sitcom Inspired Coffee Shop
It's been almost 17 years since Friends wrapped up their run as one of NBC's weekly sitcoms. It's hard to believe the show ended in 2004 - it's so long ago that Tom Brady only had two Super Bowl wins. Like Seinfeld and some others, Friends has been one of the lucky shows to remain relevant all these years later. Its popularity remained strong for years in syndications and it now lives on with streaming services (HBO Max has all 10 seasons and 236 episodes just waiting for you to binge.)
How cool is this mother/daughter story out of Laurel, Montana? Misty Hull and her daughter Bailey love coffee and LOVE Friends! They were able to combine their two loves and have opened up a coffee shop that draws some serious inspiration from their favorite tv show. With Central Perk being the name of the coffee shop in the sitcom - it's only fitting that they would name their business Main Street Perk.
The shop has a collection of Friends memorabilia but isn't designed to be an exact replica of the fictional meeting place from the show: "This is something I've wanted to do forever, I'm not going to say based on Friends, but my friends. This is my version of what would be my Central Perk." - Misty Hull from a MONTANA RIGHT NOW article.
It's a bit of a drive from Missoula. But the time you're headed to Billings - maybe make a stop in Laurel for a cup of joe and to get your picture taken on the couch in front of the cast of Friends - or at least the cardboard cutouts of the cast.
Maybe the story will inspire others around Montana and we'll see restaurants, bars, and diners pop up with The King of Queens, Two and a Half Men, and Everybody Loves Raymond themes.