Hi! Bob here, with the second installment of “Scrantonicity.” This is where LITO dissects and discusses all of the local Scranton references on “The Office,” in a comprehensive, exhausting search, utilizing “state-of-the-art” blow-up and freeze-frame video technology. OK, that’s not exactly true... Basically, these are just observations that, as a Scranton native, I make while lying on my couch watching our old analog TV. I’ll catch the more obvious local references. I’m counting on current Scrantonians to read the “fine print.” Thanks, in advance, for your help.
“The Meeting” had only one glaring local shout-out: the breakroom vending machine that was labeled “Crystal Club Soda.” There were several flyers and menus visible on the refrigerator in a deleted scene, but I can’t read or recognize them. In the past, these have been authentic Scranton advertisements and “happy hour” lists. If anybody out there can identify them, please do. Also, Dwight was holding a coffee cup with a logo on it. I’m guessing that was the University Of Scranton, or some other local entity that is “coffee-cup-logo-worthy.”
Here’s where I’m going to engage in some speculation; the location of Darryl’s house. All we know for sure is that it is really close to the railroad tracks. There was a street sign visible behind Dwight’s car during the stakeout. But I don’t think the show would go through the trouble of putting up a phony street name on a sign so far away, although that would be cool if they did. So… based on the style of Darryl’s house, and the look and feel of the surrounding neighborhood, I’m going to guess here that Darryl lives either in nearby Olyphant, Pa… or Peckville. Let’s go with “Peckville.” For some reason, it sounds a little more “Office-y.” If you recall, Michael Scott’s mother lives in Dickson City. That has an “Office-y” ring to it, too.
Again, I’d like to hear from anyone that can add to my observations, or correct them. 
The railroad engine in the episode looks an awful lot like Santa Fe RR or even (a stretch) a Burlington Northern. This is not authentic to Scranton as Norfolk Southern, DL&W, and even some CSX dominates the rails. Even Conrail can still be seen (which makes sense because it is was bought by CSX and NS). This would lead me to believe that this was not shot on sight in Scranton. Nevertheless, given the density of the houses, I would gander that it was a representation Wilkes-Barre for sure. But that is just me.
Thanks for stopping by, Dave! It sounds like you’re a railroad buff. You should get together with Dwight and Toby and “talk trains.”
In the Pacific Northwest, the two railroad lines are Burlington Northern And Union Pacific. I don’t know what lines run through Southern California, where they film “The Office.” But I wish they would use some stock footage of an AUTHENTIC Pennsylvania locomotive. They KNOW that there are people out there that are WATCHING for these mistakes!
I also wish they mentioned the town where Darryl lived. What a missed opportunity for some fun… there are so MANY little NEPA towns with great names they could have used.
How many people live in the Scranton area, Dave? I always wonder how big the town is. And how much it may have grown since Bob left. My mother is from Charlottesville, Virginia (which is a college town) and I am always amazed at how much it has grown in the years that I’ve been going there.
Kevin,
Well, that is a tough question, but I think that you need to look at the metropolitan area as opposed to the city proper. The city proper only has about 75K, but when factoring in all of the metro area (which includes the likes of Mountain Top, Wilkes-Barre, Dickson City), you get about 700K–but I will tell you it feels more like 700 million when they all flock down 380 to the Crossings. These population estimates are a little tough though because many people live WAY out but commute on a daily basis to Scranton. Some live in Tobyhanna, and some even further in the Stroudsburgs. But, when it comes to census counts, my answer is 700k and I am sticking to it.
Hey, Dave! For the benefit of our LITO readers (both of them…)
who may not know, let’s explain “flocking down the 380 to the Crossings.” That would be south from Scranton on interstate 380 to the Crossings Premium Outlet Mall in Tannersville. That is where Dwight met Jan for a hearty pancake breakfast during “The Coup.” Jan, of course, was more interested in the Ann Taylor and the Liz Claiborne outlets!
It would have been a really cool “inside” joke if The Office had made Toby’s last name “Hanna.” Oh well…
Yes, and the Crossings is a freakin’ magnet for anyone from New York from November 1 until mid-January. You would think that New Yorker’s have no place to shop! (Wow, I sound like a Northeastern Pennsylvanian….and I am just a transplant!). The Crossings is a great place to shop any other time, and yes they do have an Ann Taylor Loft, and from recollection, they do have a Liz Claiborn as well as Coach, Nike, Addidas, Brooks Brothers, J.Crew and the like. It is in Tannersville, and there is actually a REALLY great place to eat breakfast right next to it called Studabakers…..best damn Sunday Brunch I have EVER had. But I digress……. Actually the whole post was a digression.
And Bob….you actually have to go NORTH from the Central Scranton Expressway to catch 380, but you are right….it does go SOUTH. Only in Scranton would that make sense….ahhaha
Yes, and the Crossings is a freakin’ magnet for anyone from New York from November 1 until mid-January. You would think that New Yorker’s have no place to shop! (Wow, I sound like a Northeastern Pennsylvanian….and I am just a transplant!). The Crossings is a great place to shop any other time, and yes they do have an Ann Taylor Loft, and from recollection, they do have a Liz Claiborn as well as Coach, Nike, Adidas, Brooks Brothers, J.Crew and the like. It is in Tannersville, and there is actually a REALLY great place to eat breakfast right next to it called Studabakers…..best damn Sunday Brunch I have EVER had. But I digress……. Actually the whole post was a digression.
And Bob….you actually have to go NORTH from the Central Scranton Expressway to catch 380, but you are right….it does go SOUTH. Only in Scranton would that make sense….ahhaha
Dave, your contributions here are very valuable. Just like Dwight’s induction into the Lackawanna County Sheriff’s Office, consider yourself “deputized” onto the LITO field research team.
Anyone that can point out that “only in Scranton do you head north to go south”… deserves to carry an “Office” badge. Report back often, Deputy Dave!
Wow. Being from Brooklyn I have absolutely nothing to add to that. But I am learning gentlemen. This kind of info is helpful in understanding Scranton and the surrounding areas. Thanks for the answer guys!
Yea for “The Crossings”!!! My husband’s parents have a ski house near Big Boulder. The Crossing’s are just “a hop-skip,& a-jump” (that’s about 20 min) away from their house. I’ve purchased many wonderful bargains there! The Ann Taylor Loft outlet rocks and so does the Heartstrings outlet (if you have kids that is!). Sorry Dave, I’m not from NY. I am from NJ though. Close enough, right? ha ha
There is also a Great Wolf Lodge right near The Crossings. For those of you unfamiliar with GWL it’s a kid-centered hotel complete with indoor water park. Very fun!!
Coincidence: Ann’s sister lives in Mendham, New Jersey. She recently e-mailed us that her family went to a fun place called “Great Wolf Lodge.” Afterwards, she shopped ’til she dropped at The Crossings.
I’m guessing Kelly Kapoor would LOVE The Crossings. GWL? Not so much.
I think that The Crossings can also be accessed from I-80 W. We pass it every time we drive through PA on the way to my parent’s house in Detroit. I always say that one day I’ll stop there and shop, but that would mean that we’d have to start our trip like a day early and we’re usually pressed for time since it’s really near the beginning of our 10 hour drive. Maybe we’ll try it and sleep over at Great Wolf Lodge. We went to a place exactly like GWL in Sandusky OH called Castaway Bay back in April. The twins were only 6 months old at the time, so they were really too young to enjoy it. My older son, niece and nephew had a ball in the water park though.
I am still waiting for the day that they drop pizza “cuts” in the show. Bob, you know that one?
You BET I do, Dave! I want to see the Dunder-Mifflin crew all go to Old Forge one night after work, and get some TRAYS of pizza, so everybody can have some CUTS!
Old Forge, Pa is the home of a VERY distinctive style of pizza. And it’s not that far from the Scranton Business Park. (That is, if the Scranton Business Park really existed.)
Many pizza joints in NEPA serve pizza by the “cut.” Dave, THAT would be SO cool if the show picked up on that oddity!
Bob, and to further distinguish between CUTS and SLICES, and TRAYS and PANS of pizza……Slices come from pans which are round, and thus the slices are part of a round dish. CUTS come from a Tray, which is square, and thus the pieces of pizza are also square. There is a HUGE difference in Scranton between slices and cuts.
I was really hoping that during the kidnapping/Alfredo’s pizza cafe (which is a real place, and is REALLY GOOD), that SOMEONE (more than likely Creed) would say something about Cuts of Pizza.
I am still waiting for one of them to say Heyna or Yous or Jaeat?
Dave, I remember reading an interview with one of the Office writers… they said that when the show started, they attempted to have Michael Scott “speak” with a “Scranton accent;” saying things like “Heyna or no?” But it didn’t sound “natural.” Steve Carell wasn’t comfortable with the awkward speech patterns, so they dropped the idea.
But they SHOULD at least have one of the Vance Refrigeration guys “TOCK like dat, heyna?”
Bob (and other people that aspire to be a Scrantonian) will love this….it is so accurate!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sMI2jb16eo
Thanks, Dave! That is a funny video. I posted the link on the Life In The Office forum http://www.lifeintheoffice.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=34282#34282
so that other LITO peeps can find it from there.
At the end of the video, they mention “Throop, Pa,” pronounced “Troop.” I grew up in Dunmore, bordered on one side by Scranton, and on the other side… Ta-Da!… Throop!
See ya after tonight’s episode, on the next installment of “Scrantonicity.”
In tonight’s episode the painting behind Jim’s desk is of an Erie Lackawanna RR dining car which ran through Scranton until 1970. If anyone would like one the organization that is restoring this dining car to service has them available: http://www.eldcps.org/store/product.php?productid=50&cat=9&page=1
Thanks for that information, Tim! Now, I’ve GOT to watch the episode again to notice that artwork. I LOVE when the show uses authentic touches like this!
Tim are you a Scrantonian, too? Are you a member of the Erie Lackawanna Preservation Society? How did” The Office” obtain this lithograph? Thanks again for your “inside” information!
Robert – I live on the PA/NJ border – Scranton is a little over an hour away. Our group owns two original railroad dining cars and a sleeping car that ran through Scranton every day until 1970. The litho is a fundraising item. We were contacted by the Scranton Chamber of Commerce for stuff that the show “might” use as props. The first I knew that we were “in” was watching the show. We also send bags of coffee and a tin of tea that were served in the dining cars but no sign of them – heck the litho was a nice touch!
Well, thanks for writing Tim! I really appreciate having details pointed out like that. I’ll write it up in a new Scrantonicity column, and I’ll include your link.
By the way, the MAJORITY of posters here on this site are from New York and New Jersey. Do you live in the Stroudsburg area? The Delaware Water Gap? And most importantly, do you shop at the Crossings in Tannersville?
Thanks – we can use all the publicity (and $$$) we can get for our project. Yes I live just in from the Delaware Water Gap on the Jersey side. There is a great hamburger joint in Stroudsburg. I avoid the Crossings as it is always packed. I am in Scranton 3 or 4 times a month. Lots of good local food and of course trains!
I believe you can get to the outlets by 80 as well as 380, if my memory serves me, 380 is a toll type highway ( I know there’s a name, but I don’t know it) and 80 is just a highway, where you can’t go as fast as 380. The outlets are great! =) Very close to Stroudsburg, another great city! yuck, old forge pizza! sorry for those who like it! I think it’s the cheese that makes it different and the shape, it’s a rectangle. I had it once from some place in Scranton, and it was horrible. I’ve never heard of a “Scranton accent”, that was interesting to read!