St. Cloud’s ‘Central Perk’ Forced into Name Change, Selling
ST. CLOUD -- Walking into this downtown coffee shop you likely won't see Chandler Bing or Rachel Green. However, you'll find a comfy couch and the same iconic name.
"I was at work at my other job and she [my wife] asked me what I thought of the name Central Perk, I thought Central Minnesota, Central Perk, works perfect. She's like no, it's from the TV show Friends and so that's how the name came about."
Alan Sherr and his wife Odessa Sherr own Central Perk in St. Cloud. But soon Alan Sherr says the coffee shop won't be the same.
"In March we got a cease and desist order from Time Warner because they are planning on [createing] a national chain across the United States."
To comply with Time Warner, Central Perk will have to go through a complete rebranding.
"We have to change the name itself, and then we have to get rid of the couch. Actually, as long as we remove [the couch] from our website and don't use it in advertising we can keep it. It's not anything like the one in the show."
Sherr says with the rebrand and another unforeseen issue, it's just too much.
"With us now we also lost our roaster, we just got notified a week ago that they were closing down, we had no idea it was happening. It's going to take more energy than I have left."
The business is now up for sale, however, if it doesn't sell before July 1, the rebranding deadline, Sherr will have to take down everything that says, Central Perk.
"The rebranding is expensive and on the other end is now your name has changed and all of a sudden everyone thinks you are gone but you're still in the same place. It takes a lot of money and time."
Although the couple is content with selling, their son isn't so thrilled.
"After I told him he went into his bedroom, grabbed all of his money, threw it on the table and said, 'here dad, so we don't have to close.'
Sherr says over the last five years Central Perk has been open he's grown to love downtown St. Cloud and it's residents.
"I admit it, I think I might have been like most of the people in St. Cloud. They think it's dirty downtown, crime-ridden but it's not, there is a lot of neat people down here."
If you're interested in buying the business you can contact Alan Sherr by calling 320-202-2191.