50 years on, Breakfast at Tiffany's finally a reality in New York

A half-century after Audrey Hepburn starred in “Breakfast at Tiffany‘s,” the landmark New York jewellery store is making the title of the 1961 romantic comedy film a reality by opening a cafe where shoppers can enjoy a morning meal.

The new eatery, which opened on Friday, is an opportunity for customers at Tiffany & Co’s Fifth Avenue flagship store, including foreign tourists who account for a big chunk of sales, to get a taste of the glamour epitomized by Hepburn’s Holly Golightly character.

Dressed in a black Givenchy dress and pearls, Hepburn made a fashion statement that Tiffany believes still resonates with shoppers.

Like many traditional retailers, Tiffany has struggled to appeal to younger shoppers, many of whom have shunned the type of traditional jewellery, such as solitaire engagement rings, that is the brand’s mainstay.

As part of its strategy to attract millennials, the company introduced the more contemporary Tiffany HardWear collection in an agreement with pop star Lady Gaga earlier this year.

After a sharp drop from their 2014 high, Tiffany shares have risen about 6 percent since the company struck a turnaround deal with activist investor Jana Partners in February.

The new Blue Box Cafe on the fourth floor of the Fifth Avenue store may help the brand recapture its buzz, too. It is designed for “customers who have always dreamed of having Breakfast at Tiffany,” the company said in a statement.

The eatery, decorated in Tiffany’s signature robin-egg blue motif, offers breakfast at $29, excluding tax and tip. The menu is based on “American classics made with the highest quality, regionally sourced ingredients.”

Social media on Friday buzzed with the choices, which include truffle eggs, buttermilk waffles and vegan avocado toast.

And for those new millennial customers who may be later sleepers and less familiar than their mothers with “Breakfast at Tiffany‘s,” the cafe offers a $39 pre-fixe lunch and $49 high tea.