How “The Office” revived Scranton’s tourism economy
Skift Take
The Office wasn’t taped in Scranton, but its goal of portraying real-life in a small town life led to close ties with the local businesses, a relationship that put the town in front of millions of American viewers.
NBC's long-running "The Office" was a faux documentary about cubicle life. The Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin Paper Co. didn't exist.
Try telling that to merchants, tourism officials and regular folks here in the real-world city of 76,000, for whom the Emmy-winning comedy — which ends its nine-season run next week — had a tangible and lasting impact.
Even though "The Office" was shot in California, it was set in Scranton, and every "Office" booze cruise on Lake Wallenpaupack, shopping excursion to the Steamtown mall and after-work party at Poor Richard's Pub meant real cash in real registers as the show's intensely loyal fans flocked to northeastern Pennsylvania to see where their favorite characters lived, worked and played.
"If people weren't talking about Scranton before this show aired," said Tracy Barone, executive director of the Lackawanna County Convention and Visitors Bureau, "they were talking about it afterward
