Hold the phone — these “New York” firms are nowhere near the Big Apple.
Manhattanite wannabes all over the globe — including businesses from New Jersey to New Zealand — are paying big bucks for numbers in the 212 area code.
The Manalapan, NJ-based interior-design firm Startup Interiors bought a number in the coveted area code because 212 is a brand in itself, a rep for the firm said.
“It carries a certain cachet. It tells people we’re in the middle of the adventure and excitement. People say, ‘Oh, you have a 212 number. Cool!’ ” said Jay Bhatti of Startup Interiors, which bought the number on the Web site 212areacode.com.
Other companies snatching 212 numbers include a clothing design firm in Chicago, an architecture company in Connecticut ‑and a digital marketing company in New Zealand, said 212areacode.com owner David Day.