Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today was joined by Alan Rosen, third-generation Rosen family owner of Junior's Restaurant, for the ribbon-cutting and dedication of the new Junior's Restaurant in Times Square.  The opening brings Brooklyn's landmark Flatbush Avenue eatery and 125 new jobs to the world's most famous intersection.  The brand-new, 6,600-square-foot restaurant, located at 1515 Broadway on Shubert Alley at 45th Street, will serve Junior's world-renowned cheesecake and other hearty fare. 

"For nearly sixty years, Junior's has been the 'World Capital of Cheesecake' - and other great food - so it's great to welcome them today to the 'Crossroads of the World'," said Mayor Bloomberg.  "This restaurant and bakery is one of the great New York success stories. Born on Flatbush Avenue in 1950, Junior's has served millions of customers all over the world, including many celebrities and notable VIP's.  Now, at age fifty-six, they are making their big Broadway debut."

"Times Square is the capital of the world, so what better place to have the restaurant that serves the world's most famous cheesecake," said owner Alan Rosen, who like his brother Kevin, worked with his grandfather, father, and uncle in the Brooklyn restaurant.  "For more than fifty years, Junior's has been an institution not only in the 'Borough of Kings,' but to all New Yorkers and New Yorkers at heart.  The new Junior's Restaurant in Times Square provides the opportunity to bring our award-winning food and phenomenal service to the rest of the world.  In fact, we plan on being the longest running show on Broadway!"

The new Junior's Restaurant will seat 300 customers - 200 inside and 100 in the outdoor café - and will create 125 jobs in the vibrant Times Square area.  Nearby at Duffy Square, the City is spending $9.5 million to transform the concrete triangle into an impressive public space with a new T.K.T.S. booth, including red spectator bleachers that will accommodate 1,000 people overlooking Times Square.  Construction began in May, and is scheduled to be completed by December 2006 in time for the annual New Year's Eve in Times Square festivities. 

Junior's is poised to become a must-visit tourist destination.  In 2005, New York City welcomed over 42 million visitors and expects that number to climb to well over 43 million in 2006.  Nearly 329,000 jobs in New York City are supported by visitor spending, making tourism the second most significant industry in terms of job creation in the four years since September 11th, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.  Over 11 million theatergoers enjoyed Broadway shows last year, and Times Square hotels boasted an average occupancy rate of over 87%, nearly two points higher than the Manhattan-wide average.  With 5,000 new and renovated hotel rooms in the pipeline, visitor destinations under construction citywide plus new museums and cultural centers, the City expects to enjoy above-average rates of job creation in the hospitality and leisure industries over the next two years.

Founded by Harry Rosen in 1950, Junior's is now a third generation family-run business with grandsons Alan and Kevin at the helm.  The Brooklyn institution, renowned for its delicious cheesecake, has been serving its overstuffed deli sandwiches, cheeseburgers, blintzes and skyscraper desserts from the corner of Flatbush and DeKalb Avenue for over half a century.  The Brooklyn location serves 4,000 customers a day and sells approximately 5,000 cheesecakes per week, ranging in weight from 5 ounces to 5 pounds, and more than 2,000 cheesecakes per week via mail order.