'The One With the Free Coffee' - Central Perk Hits NY

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It's been 20 years since "Friends" took the world by storm. And to celebrate, New Yorkers can indulge their love of comedy and coffee in their very own Central Perk.

It was the celluloid coffee shop where for 10 years Joey, Ross, Rachel, Phoebe, Monica and Chandler captivated millions with their revolving-door love lives, work traumas, make-ups and break-ups.

To mark the anniversary of the phenomenally successful sitcom, fans can visit a replica coffee bar in Manhattan, order a free drink and kick back on the same orange sofa used on the set.

Gunther, the blonde-haired barista played by actor James Michael Tyler, will put in appearances, and there will be special performances of Phoebe's unique guitar ballad "Smelly Cat."

Sponsored by Warner Bros and Eight O'clock Coffee, the cafe will be open from September 17 until October 18 on Lafayette and Broome streets in SoHo, one of New York's trendiest neighborhoods.

Props from the show will be on view and fans can order coffee from the Central Perk chalkboard or win prizes.

"Friends" memorabilia go on sale and there will be DVDs and Blu-ray giveaways for the lucky few.

The hit show, seen on U.S. television from 1994 to 2004, won dozens of awards and garnered global celebrity for actors Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox and Matthew Perry.

A special measure of fame has been achieved by actress Jennifer Aniston -- Rachel on Friends -- who since the show ended has become one of Hollywood's top earners for her work on the big screen.

U.S. chat show "Jimmy Kimmel Live" on Wednesday hosted Aniston, Cox and Kudrow in guest appearances that poked fun at the show, its soundtrack and the retread relationship between Ross and Rachel.

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