'Golden Girls' Cafe to Open in New York This Summer
Rue's Café is slated to open in late August or early September.
— -- First it was a "Saved by the Bell" pop-up restaurant. Now there's a "Golden Girls"-inspired cafe.
Rue's Café, named after the late Rue McClanahan, who portrayed the sassy Blanche Devereaux on the hit series, is set to come to New York City this summer.
Michael J. La Rue, a former employee of McClanahan's, told ABC News that he and the late actress' son Mark Bish were inspired to open a cafe after seeing how fans reacted to a website they created to honor McClanahan, who passed away in 2010.
"That's when we started talking about creating this place where people can come see his mother's things and a place to honor her memory and her career and just the type of woman she was, [and] the outlook she had on life," La Rue added. "And also create a space where fans can gather and sort of geek out on the 'Golden Girls.'"
La Rue said the cafe, which will open at 4396 Broadway in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City, will feature "about 40" costumes worn by McClanahan on the hit series. The final episode of "Golden Girls" aired in 1992.
"But there's also going to be personal items," La Rue explained. "Certain gifts that Bea [Arthur] had made for Rue, holiday cards, behind-the-scenes photographs, pictures from house parties and things like that."
La Rue added that furniture from McClanahan's New York apartment and her Encino, California, home will also be featured in the cafe, including a couch, rocking chair and her piano. Fans may also recognize the same wall paper from Blanche's room in the restaurant. Even the bathroom will be replicated to look like it did on "Golden Girls."
The menu will also include the cast's recipes along with food featured on the series, such as "flugel kaka" and the "Looks Like Chocolate, Tastes Like Spice, You'll Wish You Had a Bigger Slice Marble Cake," created by Betty White's quirky character Rose Nylund.
An opening date has not yet been announced. Still, La Rue told ABC News he hopes to open doors in either late August or early September.
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