Marky Mark made his mark in Coney Island last week.
The super cool mack daddy and his brothers came to the People’s Playground on June 23 to christen the newest outlet of their eponymous burger chain, Wahlburgers.
All three Wahlberg brothers showed up to promote the first Wahlburgers in the city, located on Stillwell Avenue at Bowery Street, which is set to open to the public in July.
They were greeted by droves of fans crowding the velvet ropes that flank the red carpet, and the Boston-based brood sounded humbled to be welcomed into Sodom by the Sea.
“We are just so happy to be in Brooklyn,” said Paul Wahlberg, head chef of the burger joint and star of the A&E show of the same name. “I mean, it’s Coney Island, so the fact that they even let us in the door is amazing to me, so we’re thrilled.”
Councilman Mark Treyger (D–Coney Island) joined Paul and Donnie Wahlberg in the ribbon cutting before the brothers took their time schmoozing with fans along the red carpet before heading inside to film an episode of the reality show.
Even a sudden downpour couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm of devout fans who toughed it out waiting for noted teddy bear aficionado and erstwhile leader of the Funky Bunch Mark “Marky Mark” Walhberg to show up. But the wet wait was worth it, according to one excited fan.
“Marky Mark is here, Donnie Wahlberg is here, all the brothers are here, so we’re visiting them,” said Maria Amato, a Dyker Heights resident who grew up in Coney Island.
Amato said the high-profile eatery will be a boon to the Boardwalk.
“It’s going to help the area a lot,” she said. “I think a lot of people are going to come.”
Marky Mark said he hopes the burger shop will help promote the People’s Playground, but added that you gotta believe Coney’s good vibrations make him say ooh, as well.
“The area has been growing so much,” he said. “It reminds me of growing up, and my time in Paragon Park in Boston, which they didn’t save, and they didn’t build up, and it’s a shame because they don’t have a place like that, and [Coney Island] is an iconic place to be, and it’s amazing for our first launch in New York to be in Coney Island.”
